The Enduring Historical Relationship Between the United States and Israel: Between the Rhetoric of Shared Values and the Reality of Settler-Colonial Legacy

Abstract

This study examines the special relationship between the US and Israel, shedding further light on the arguments and justifications often framed by Washington policymakers in the context of shared values and liberal principles. Using the descriptive-analytical method, the study reached several conclusions, most notably the existence of deeper dimensions that go beyond these superficial justifications. It argues that the true roots of the U.S.-Israel relationship lie in the structural similarity of their emergence as settler-colonial powers. Both the United States and Israel share a long history of expansion and settlement at the expense of indigenous populations, which has established strong ideological and political bonds between them. The findings also indicate that Israel, as the exclusive agent of the United States in the Middle East, plays a pivotal role in advancing American strategic interests. Furthermore, the researchers concluded that the arguments regarding shared values starkly contradict the American behavior that opposes the Palestinian people’s aspirations for freedom and independence—as outlined in the U.S. Declaration of Independence of the original thirteen states in 1776.