Why Are Americans So Supportive of Israel?

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

A whole host of reasons, some old and some new. In no particular order:

During the Cold War, Israel was a U.S. client while its neighbors - Syria and Egypt in particular - were Soviet client states. This became particularly important after the fall of the Shah, as Iran left the U.S. sphere of influence.

The United States' Jewish population is much larger and far more influential than its Muslim population. This was true to an even greater extent in the past.

A wide-spread perception that the Israelis are the 'good guys' and 'like us' because they speak English/are of European ancestry/have a democratic government, etc., while their neighbors do not.

Decades of random, world-spanning terrorism by the PLO and similar Palestinian organizations.

Worry as to what a nuclear-armed nation in dire straits might do.

Jewish supporters of Israel in the United States are a significant political block.

The religious right apparently views support of Israel as an aspect of their faith.

Because there is a very strong and very vocal pro-Israel lobby entrenched in Washington D.C.

Because the United States guaranteed Israel a certain level of support under the Camp David accords.

Because the United States and Israel have been allies for long enough that support for Israel has become the status quo.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Because one holocaust is enough. The Jews are in Israel to stay - with US force of arms if necessary. The Arabs had better get used to it.

Israel will need to abandon most of its settlements in the West Bank however.

I think the Israelis are in big trouble. Demographic and economic trends are against them. The Palestinian population is growing, while wealthy and educated Jews are leaving Israel. Israel has a net Jewish population loss, with emigration far exceeding immigration. The only Jewish demographic that seems to be increasing are the ultra-Orthodox, who politically tend towards the far-right.

Meanwhile, on the economic and security front, the stable neighboring regimes with whom Israel had reached a generally peaceful modus vivendi are increasingly volatile. (Egypt, Syria, Jordan.) And at the same time, the United States, which provides a great deal of support to Israel's military and economy, is finding itself in an increasingly precarious position.

While I don't forsee any immediate changes, in a few decades Israel is going to find itself in much the same position as the apartheid government of South Africa did.