Israel is a remarkable place. Just smaller than the state of Massachusetts, with just less than the population of New York City, Israel has been nothing less than the focal point of international relations for 60 years. I would argue that the effect of Israel on U.S. foreign policy is and has been greater than that of any other entity, including the Soviet Union. The contradictions and complications that swirl around the Jewish state are no more likely to find resolution now than at any time in history. Republicans and Democrats have come and gone, in the White House and the Congress, without meaningful resolution.
Foreign policy is supposed to be a bipartisan deal; when George W. Bush was in office, we the people were reminded often that politics “stopped at the water’s edge”. This ethic has, apparently, passed its expiration date, but the realities of Israel and the issues that surround her cry out for American political unity. This is sadly not forthcoming. There are elements in this nation that believe that the nation of Israel was founded illegally and immorally, and that the only real solution is its disolution. They are balanced by AIPAC and a rising evangelical rush to co-opt the struggle of Jews in the service of Christian ambition. As per usual, extreme positions are the root of the problem, not the solution.