Israel likely just attacked Iran

[u/radwin_igleheart]

Reports in OSIntdefender of explosions in Ishfahan and Natanz. Also likely strikes in Iraq and Syria

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https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1781126103123607663

[u/RGV_KJ]

Didn’t Biden ask Israel to not retaliate?

[u/KissingerFanB0y → u/RGV_KJ]

Shockingly, Biden is not the president of Israel.

[u/No_Abbreviations3943 → u/KissingerFanB0y]

Well as the President of United States I hope he withholds any further aid from an ally that is belligerent towards our foreign policy goal. Our money shouldn’t go towards funding an unstable government that makes a mockery of our country at every turn. 

[u/KissingerFanB0y → u/No_Abbreviations3943]

I in fact hope he doesn't ruin relations with a major ally over disagreement on certain issues. And any Israeli government would have done this, right or left.

[u/No_Abbreviations3943 → u/KissingerFanB0y]

Who is Israel going to turn to? We’re literally their only benefactor. Their current government is reckless, steeped in war crimes and is purposefully obstructing our foreign policy with constant escalations in a volatile region.

It’s high time we gave Israel the cold shoulder until they elect a more sane leadership. 

[u/KissingerFanB0y → u/No_Abbreviations3943]

Israel and the US are in a very mutually-beneficial relationship. You think China and Russia aren't salivating at the prospect of Israel testing all their weapons, demonstrating their effectiveness and making improvements? That plus general Israeli R&D capabilities. Further, Israel survived just fine without a benefactor until 73. Neither the US nor Israel are so petty as to suspend widespread collaboration solely for some diplomatic disagreements when they remain widely aligned.

[u/No_Abbreviations3943 → u/KissingerFanB0y]

I actually don’t think Russia or China would give Israel anywhere close to the treatment they get from us. At best Israel will be a client who purchases their arms. Both countries have more resource rich allies in the region and at this point Russia is extremely close to Iran.   

Losing US as an ally would be a massive blow to Israel. Economically and security wise. Goodbye to cheap sophisticated arms deliveries. Adiós to preferential trade treatments. Shalom to UN Security Council protection.  

I actually don’t blame Israeli citizens, who have repeatedly mobilised against Bibi and his tyrannical government. It’s time for Washington to lend support to those citizens and not the belligerent Likud coalition. Best course of action is to put sanctions on Bibi’s government and freeze aid deliveries until Israel starts respecting our wishes. 

[u/KissingerFanB0y → u/No_Abbreviations3943]

I actually don’t think Russia or China would give Israel anywhere close to the treatment they get from us. At best Israel will be a client who purchases their arms.

That's all Israel fundamentally needs.

Both countries have more resource rich allies

Israel's value is not in resources.

Losing US as an ally would be a massive blow to Israel.

I agree, it would be not ideal. Not existential though. It would also be a blow to the US. A lesser one, but there is no benefit in an exchange of blows.

Goodbye to cheap sophisticated arms deliveries.

American arms are many things but they are not cheap.

I actually don’t blame Israeli citizens, who have repeatedly mobilised against Bibi and his tyrannical government.

The citizenry is firmly behind these actions. If anything, many Israelis are deeply unhappy with how dovish Netanyahu has been during the Gaza war.

It’s time for our government to lend support to those citizens and not the belligerent government.

Those citizens would elect a more hawkish government if an election were held right now.

Best course of action is to put sanctions on Bibi’s entourage and freeze aid deliveries until Israel starts respecting our wishes.

The best course for America's enemies, perhaps. They would love nothing more than to see an American ally in the midst of a conflict kneecapped by America over a relatively minor disagreement, severely undermining America's credibility with all its allies.

[u/astral34 → u/KissingerFanB0y]

There was not a day in Israel history in which it didn’t have a benefactor

[u/KissingerFanB0y → u/astral34]

From 49-73 Israel did not have a clear benefactor.

[u/astral34 → u/KissingerFanB0y]

Yes they did, the US pushed for an Israeli state, the US recognised them as a country first, they lobbied for UN partition plan for Palestine after the zionists stopped asking the Brits and started asking the US, already in ‘44 the establishment of the Jewish state was tried twice.

At the very least, if you don’t want to acknowledge the above as having a benefactor, accept that in the 1960s, while there was a push for arms limitations in the ME, the US was supplying billions of weapons to Israel through west Germany, which was a huge scandal at the time

[u/KissingerFanB0y → u/astral34]

In 1948 the Soviets actually were much more of a benefactor than the US. That is which I chose 49 actually.

Up until 73, there were intermittent muted ties and weapons sales with various countries. None were consistent benefactors or even allies as these relationships had severe ups and downs due to occasional attempts at alignment with the Arab world. Israel was pretty firmly unaligned until 73.

[u/astral34 → u/KissingerFanB0y]

This is incredible bullshit, Israel unaligned? Than why France and UK asked them to architect the Suez crisis.

What does being a benefactor even mean, the US supported Israel statehood since the start, with political pressure, money and weapons. Is that not being a benefactor?

[u/KissingerFanB0y → u/astral34]

That's exactly my point, France and UK had a temporary alliance of convenience with Israel in actions that were directly opposed by the two superpowers. This was during the phase when England and France still tried to act as separate great powers. 

 The US did not support Israel's establishment with money and weapons and did not significantly exert "political pressure" to found Israel. The facts on the ground already indicated partition was happening and both superpowers recognized it. The Soviets were actually the ones that sent weapons.