The Evolving American View on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
How the next generation's leaders could transform U.S. involvement in the Middle East.
In recent years, there has been a noticeable change in the way Americans, particularly the younger generation, perceive the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. It appears that many younger, more democratic-leaning people have shifted closer to supporting the Palestinians than their older counterparts. This shift may have come from several factors.
The perspectives of older Americans have been shaped by historical events that are quite different from those experienced by younger generations. The Holocaust and the multiple wars aimed at annihilating Israel have had a major impact on the older generation, which, in turn, has created a strong sense of solidarity with the country of Israel. Younger people may not feel this connection, probably because these events are distant history rather than lived experiences. This may lead to different interpretations and connections to the current state of affairs.
In recent years, an "America First" populist right-wing movement has gained support among young conservatives. This movement prioritizes national interests and is skeptical of international engagements, resulting in a decrease in automatic support for Israel among this group.
On the other side of the political spectrum, young progressives are increasingly vocal about issues of colonialism and occupation. They see the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the lens of "settler colonialism," leading to a natural alignment with the Palestinians, whom they see as resisting an occupying force.
We're living in a time when things could potentially change regarding how American leaders deal with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. With the younger generation stepping up into leadership roles, their different perspectives on the world could lead to a shift away from the established alliances and policies that have guided U.S. involvement in the Middle East.
The current U.S. presidential candidates, Joe Biden and Donald Trump may try to use the ongoing conflict in the Middle East to gain political advantage, but it's not clear how this will play out and whether it will impact the opinions of younger voters. It does seem possible that if these politicians align themselves with the country of Israel, it could further fuel skepticism or even hostility towards the Jewish state among young Americans, particularly those who already view the situation through a critical lens.
The way Americans perceive the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is changing. A new generation of Americans, who are influenced by different historical contexts, are slowly taking up positions of power. The manner in which young Americans have been behaving seems to suggest that this could be a transformative moment in our history. This could lead to major shifts in how America approaches the Middle East and global policy in general. The views of current and future leaders, like Biden and Trump, will be very important in either bringing Americans together or pushing them further apart.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict will continue to hold a significant place in America's foreign policy. How the United States will approach this conflict in the coming years remains unclear. Will we continue to be trapped in the same old patterns of conflict and stagnation? Are you invested in this conflict, or is it not on your radar? Since this has been a long-standing issue for thousands of years, do you believe that things will heat up, die down, and then reheat? Or has the game changed with the introduction of deadlier weapons in the twentieth century?
Clayton Craddock is a devoted father of two, an accomplished musician, and a thought-provoker dedicated to Socratic questioning, challenging the status quo, and encouraging a deeper contemplation on a range of issues. Subscribe to Think Things Through HERE, and for inquiries and to connect, email him here: Clayton@claytoncraddock.com
For most of my lifetime I have awaited any compelling explanation of what the American people (remember us?) have ever stood to gain from our ruling regime claiming any 'American interests' in the middle east, at all. I remain unconvinced that any such interests exist.
Taking sides in perennial conflicts with roots preceding known history is a fool's errand, and one in which no degree of American influence or intervention is ever going to magically create some Final Solution to the Middle East Question.
So I take the third, and least popular, view on all things middle east: that those who live there can have it, it is none of my concern no matter who is currently slaughtering whom and seeking all means available to wipe whom from the face of the earth. It's their home, not mine. Let them have their stupid feuds and permanent vendettas: none will be cured because none is seeking any cure other than to cause some other people to cease to exist.
How has such gratuitous hatred and sustained hostility EVER been in any American's interests? It certainly has never been any of mine. The USA regime could divest itself of every last form of involvement in middle east affairs from Morocco to Tajikistan, every aid program, every weapons contract, every energy concession, even close every last embassy permanently, and nothing would change. It never does.
'Get out while we still can' has always been my position on the middle east, and let them destroy each other if they must. There never has been anything any major power can do to stop it, and many have tried, to their extreme cost and the enduring frustration of their misbegotten aims in becoming involved to begin with. As for what the gains have ever been for ordinary people expected to subsidize and endorse all this continual imperialistic adventurism, I remain thoroughly convinced there had never been any.