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Source: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-israeli-case-for-optimism-about-america-778c3f5b
The Israeli Case for Optimism about America
(Wall Street Journal) Amb. Yechiel Leiter interviewed by Elliot Kaufman - Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, 66, was born and raised in Scranton, Pa. He immigrated to Israel at 18, served in the 1982 Lebanon War as a combat medic, and earned a doctorate in political philosophy at the University of Haifa. He also worked as Benjamin Netanyahu's chief of staff from 2004-05 when he was finance minister. The history of the U.S.-Israel relationship adds some perspective as to its future. Leiter said, "When we bombed the Osirak nuclear reactor in Iraq in 1981, Reagan was irate. He threatened [Prime Minister] Begin with sanctions." When Israel bombed Syria's nuclear reactor in 2007, "Bush 43 doesn't threaten sanctions, but he's not very happy about it." Then came the attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. "In 2025, we almost became one intelligence community. People don't understand the level of collaboration that we had for three, four months." "While all these idiots were writing about 'daylight' and anger" between the U.S. and Israel or between Trump and Netanyahu, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister "Ron Dermer and I used to come out of the White House laughing. 'Let them say it. It's perfect. We couldn't break this cover if we tried.' We reached a situation where we begin the operations, and the U.S. completes the operations." Israel helped the U.S. by swallowing the big initial risk and doing most of the "dirty work." The U.S. helped Israel by finishing off what only it had the military capability to do. Much of Leiter's case for optimism rests on what Israel can offer America. In the Middle East, "the potential is an extended Abraham Accords, to the degree that Israel and its neighbors enter into a regional entente, so the U.S. could reduce its footprint and have its allies take responsibility for the region." This vision hinges on Israeli strength. "Without that, Saudi Arabia is not going to protect the region itself." Leiter views Israel as America's only realistic way out of being dragged into Middle East wars. "The U.S. will need fighting allies." Nonfighting allies like Saudi Arabia spend more on fancy military equipment but get pushed around by Iran. Leiter said Vice President JD Vance "may not have the same intestinal identification with Jews that Donald Trump has. He didn't grow up in New York, and probably he didn't light Hanukkah candles with Jewish friends and business partners. But so what? I've been in a dozen consequential meetings with JD, and I haven't noticed in him a scintilla of anti-Israelism or distance from Jews or Israel....Where it matters, I've only seen good and positive stuff. JD believes in America first, and I think he believes that part of America first is having a strong ally like Israel."