
Is Israel a Liability? | 5-Minute Videos | PragerU
A growing chorus of voices—from the American left and right—now calls Israel “a liability.” They say it’s time to walk away. Are they right? Or is Israel an indispensable ally? Michael Doran, Director of the Middle East Center at the Hudson Institute, confronts this controversy.
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Transcript:
Is Israel a Liability?
Presented by Michael Doran
A growing chorus of voices—from the American left and right—now calls Israel “a liability.”
They say it’s time to walk away.
They call this “foreign policy realism.”
In fact, it’s the opposite.
Israel remains America’s indispensable ally.
Here are five reasons why.
One: The Neighborhood
In geopolitics, as in real estate, three considerations are paramount: location, location, location.
The Middle East holds 48% of the world’s oil reserves and produces nearly a third of its supply.
Some assert that renewables are making oil irrelevant. Not in our lifetimes.
Oil fuels industries. Oil fuels militaries. And oil is priced globally.
Shocks in the Middle East hit the U.S. economy—directly.
Others say America’s own energy boom makes the region irrelevant. That is shortsighted.
What happens in the Middle East doesn’t stay in the Middle East. It moves markets, shakes alliances, and draws in hostile powers.
He who controls the Middle East controls the crossroads of the global economy.
Israel is America’s fortress at that crossroads.
Two: Containing Iran
Critics claim that Israel entangles America with Iran.
This is a profound misunderstanding.
Since its birth in 1979, the Islamic Republic has branded America the “Great Satan” and Israel the “Little Satan.”
Everything Iran does, it does with that order in mind.
To get to the U.S., Iran has to deal with Israel first.
That’s why we, in the interest of our own security, must ensure that Israel has what it needs militarily.
Israel is our front line of defense.
If that bulwark is compromised, Iran will move on to its main targets—dominating the energy resources of the Gulf, and challenging America.
They already have missiles capable of reaching Europe.
Shipping those missiles to Iran’s ally Venezuela would put the Iranians in range of the U.S.—like Soviet missiles in Cuba in 1962, an intolerable threat.
Nuclear weapons in the hands of a terrorist state is not a threat only to Israel.
It’s a threat to us.
Three: Projecting Force
Israel might be small (about the size of New Jersey), but it’s lethal. And it fights.
We can’t say that about many of our allies.
All talk a good game, but few are willing to put their words into action.
Israel is different.
It spends at least 5% of its GDP on defense. The U.S. spends 3.4%.
Many of our NATO allies are struggling to spend 2%. Canada spends 1.3%.
Israel’s air force flies more combat missions annually than NATO’s Western European members combined.
From generals to conscripts, its soldiers are combat-tested.
And they don’t ask others to do their fighting for them.
“Give us the tools, and we’ll finish the job,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said.
As the world has seen, that’s not an idle boast.
In a crisis, we want that kind of ally on our side.
Four: Intelligence Gathering
Israel’s intelligence service, Mossad, is unmatched in daring and results.
In 2018, it raided Iran’s nuclear archive—in Tehran.
In 2024, it launched Operation Grim Beeper, detonating Hezbollah pagers and crippling thousands of terrorists.
These operations revealed deep penetration of both Iran and its proxies.
The U.S. is excellent at gathering and processing intelligence data.
So is Israel.
But when it comes to human intelligence—information from people in positions of personal knowledge—Israel has no peer.
When the U.S. needs eyes on the ground, ears in the room, or insight into the minds of our adversaries, we often turn to Israel.
To say that without Israel the U.S. would be blind in the Middle East would be an exaggeration—but not by much.
Five: Geopolitical Consequences
If the U.S. were to abandon Israel, it would trigger a cascade of disasters.
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Israeli liability
Israeli will become liability the date the last gallon of oil extracted from middle east
Westerners will walk away after last gallon extracted
😁😁😁😁 THE FREE WORLD IS BLESSED TO HAVE ISRAEL !! THEY ARE BLESSED BY GOD ! WE LOVE ISRAELIS !! THEY ARE THE BEST PEOPLE ON EARTH !
Who gave all weapons to israelis for pennys or free? usa. So both of them have liabilities of genocide in Gaza.
No keeps a boot on islam
People always see mainly their own investment and not the other side´s investment.
I would add that the 3.8 billions dollars the US gives annually to Israel goes 100% in buying US EQUIPMENT, so the money goes to US market, employees, technology and taxes!
I also add that the US gives money to so many countries around the world, even billions to the Palestinian Authority which have 0 shared values with, but somehow it is easier to dislike Israel
Pure garbage! The Cuban missile crisis happened after the USA provoked Russia by deploying nuclear missiles in Turkey and began menacing Cuba with a campaign of terrorist attacks. Iran hasn't had a nuclear weapons program since 2003 and outside of Netanyahu's fever dreams they don't appear concerned with obtaining one. Israel has a vast arsenal of nuclear weapons they illegally manufactured by deceiving their "best friend" the United States using uranium that was stolen from Pittsburg. Israel attacked the USS Liberty, they sell stolen US weapons secrets to China, they spy on our presidents and manipulate our entire political system financing and/or blackmailing most US politicians. Israel is not protecting American people or making the world safer by carrying out terrorist attacks on all their neighbors and menacing the entire middle east with nuclear weapons. JFK was against Israel developing nuclear weapons because that would throw off the balance of power in the Middle East triggering progressive instability and strife—we can all now see that he was very right. Neither the United States nor Israel is a democracy, seriously just stop lying about it.
Genuine question, what is your stance on the USS Liberty incident?
Somebody tell it to all of these Woke Right Christian-Nationalist clowns…..
In the 19s they stole the Soviet MIG for US
The Mossad is not special, they are smart.
They realized that their enemies say exactly what they mean, all the time.
If they say death to America, they mean, death to America.
Israeli firm Cellebrite assisted the FBI gained access to the phone of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the man that tried to assassinate President Trump. The Israeli technology enabled the FBI to unlock the phone within 40 minutes.)
Let this sink in, FBI needed assistance from Israel.
The U.S. aid annually to Israel is not even 1% of Israel's GDP. The Institute for National Security Studies think tank issued a report saying “Aid to Israel has never been an act of charity or a payment extorted by ‘the lobby,’ but a tool to advance American interests.” The US military aid package is substantial, but not decisive. It accounts for less than 3% of Israel’s national budget. Israel can and should replace it itself.
Former head of Air Force Intelligence Major General George Keegan's estimate that replicating Israel's Middle East military presence would cost U.S. taxpayers $125 billion—a figure reflecting 1970s economics, equivalent to roughly $1 trillion today when adjusted for inflation. The former head of Air Force Intelligence Major General George Keegan also stated that the U.S.-Israel military relationship was worth "five CIAs."
1. Why does the US provide munitions to Israel when Israel can produce them itself? The answer is simple, US aid can only be used to purchase US made weaponry. The US has set conditions restricting Israel from using the aid to acquire munitions from Israeli defense contractors.
2. Why does the US aid Israel? Because the US gains more than Israel. Israeli technology transfer, intelligence sharing of the middle east, bases to park your logistic footprint, influence, leverage, stimulus for the US economy and military industries, and come with string attached often cutting out the competition etc..
3. What happens if the US stops aiding Israel? Israel becomes dependent on its own production line. Israel has its own defense industry and will no longer be required to be under the pressure of US interests. Receiving aid from the US makes Israel committed to US' interests and pressure. The US pressures Israel to not export Israeli made arms to certain countries deemed rogue by the US or hostile to the US. Now how much of revenue is lost annually because of this?
4. Why would the US continue to aid Israel? The aid the US provides to Israel are not free gifts. The US brokered a deal promising aid if Israel returns Sinai back to Egypt. Yes, the US made Israel give up 60,000 km2 of land (3 times bigger than Israel today) promising aid in return. Israel returning the Sinai Peninsular back to Egypt helped facilitate Egypt leaving Soviet’s sphere of influence into US’ sphere of influence thus expanding US influence and arms exports. The Soviet loses a strategic “partner” including arms sales while the US gains a strategic “partner”.
5. Does the US benefit from aiding Israel? Absolutely, Israel battle tested US F-15, F-16 and F-35, promoting US weapons to the world as capable and combat proven thus increasing interests and sales for the US and then sharing operation data of the systems back to the US and the US then develops newer generation aircraft and technologies with these data. Another benefit for the US is that the aid effectively "kills" Israeli military systems that competes with US made systems. The US pressured Israel to cancel Israeli Lavi fighter jet program because the US was afraid it would compete with the US F-16 on the market. So in return the US proposed ongoing aid. You see, the US aid are not free gifts, it's a tool. Some would argue that the US foreign "aid" is economic imperialism with strings attached.
6. What will happen to Israel if the US withdraws all support and isolate Israel? The US stands to lose almost as much as Israel. Russia and China will cozy up to Israel for Israeli cutting edge technology. This will be the US and Europe's biggest nightmare, imagine Russia and China with Israeli made weapons. The US will never allow this to happen.
Unfortunately this is inevitable, sooner or later left will get back to power in the US, Israel will join China and even Iran to be an east superpower. Yes yes, Israel without the US is Iran's friend.
Share share share on all social media platforms!!!
Those who think Israel is a liability have no idea how much Israel has done for the USA
Jihad is a liability of the entire world.
The long noses have infiltrated prageru..
Yes
We are the ISRAELIS. We never forget how much the U.S. has helped us over the years. Thank you, U.S.A., appreciate. 🔵⚪
US commitment is worthless when Democrats are in power
🇺🇦❤️🇮🇱🙏🏼
Peter Thiel gives credibility to the lizard people theory.
At last someone says it in an ocean of anti-western disinformation
AIPAC and the ADL run the world and gets us entangled with yahudi tribal wars
America has existed over a 170 years without Israel. We don’t need them
I agree with these points but I still feel that Israel has too much influence in American politics and not in a good way.
Truth
As an Israeli I must say, I highly doubt that Israel will find a replacement in China for if America severed its relations with us. The Israeli culture and identity is far more similar to the American culture than it is to the Chinese one. This strengthens the alliance much stronger. We both have a desire for freedom and economical growth which we can undoubtedly can achieve best by cooperation. It wouldn’t be as easy with the Chinese.
🇺🇸🇮🇱🇺🇸🇮🇱🇺🇸🇮🇱🙏🙏🙏
I love this
I think of it the other way around.
America is a liability fir Israel!
Imagine Israel is not forced to buy their weapons and especially fighter jets from the us but rather do it herself.
Imagine Israel is developing a fighter jet that is at least a direct competitor to the F35 or even better, and more than that israel is selling it worldwide….
That would disastrous for the us export.
You think i am bluffing? Think again, cause we already did that and you know got a little stressed out about it? The US. They convinced the Israeli government to ditch the their fighter jets program and in return america would make sure that Israel has the best if the Americans fighter jets!
Don't trust me bro, check it out yourself.
You politely segued away from religion, our preeminent foundational tie to Israel. Israel is home to the two greatest religions in history; Judaism and Christianity. These two share the exact same roots, yet flowered two different crops. Nevertheless, if America were to cut ties with Israel only America loses. Right now and as an American, She is dumb enough to do that. That will be fatal. America IMO, was the greatest Christian nation following WW2 but She is no longer, frankly I don't know if She is Christian at all. We are doomed if she is not. Israel, on the other hand, does not need America, only Her God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. As America fades, Israel will fulfill her place in ancient prophecy and become the last nation standing. None of that by her politicians or priests but by the hand of her God; "I Am." Hebrews are Gods chosen people. They may have ignored Him but He has never ignored them. All other nations are liabilities to themselves yet Israel is but a blessing to all. Many people are blind to this, blinded by hatred and that is upon them only. We are family and we must stay together.
Imagine Israel teaming up with China…
What a nightmare.