Benjamin Netanyahu, Donald Trump, and the Uae’s Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan participate in the signing ceremony of the Abraham Accords in September 2020 in Washington, DC (credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Barack Obama’s election in 2008 marked the beginning of a shift in relations between America and its formidable ally in the Middle East
This article is taken from the June 2026 issue of The Critic. To get the full magazine why not subscribe? Find our subscription offers here.
American–Israeli relations have never been so good as they are today. Also, American–Israeli relations have never been so bad as they are today. Both statements have often applied at various times since 1948, but not always at the same time. Since 2008, however, relations seem to bifurcate most of the time. Some of the causes derive from America’s involvement in the Middle East, which deepened as America tried to leave. Some derive from Israel’s maturation as a military, technological and regional player. But most derive from America’s domestic politics.