Us S Pro Israel Stance Attracting More Critics Says Scholar

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Last month, US president Donald Trump suggested that his country could “take over” the Gaza Strip and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East”. (Reuters pic)
PETALING JAYA: The number of US foreign policy detractors has increased following recent pronouncements by president Donald Trump on Israel and Palestine, a San Diego-based scholar said.
Ahmet T Kuru said critics of US foreign policy, especially concerning the long-running Middle East conflict, extends beyond the Muslim world.
In particular, he said criticism of the superpower’s support for Israel has grown in Latin America, South Africa and several other countries.
“The recent humanitarian crisis in Gaza appealed to the interest of many non-Muslim societies in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and even Europe. Social media has accelerated this process of highlighting the plight of the Palestinians,” he told FMT.
Kuru said a similar trend emerged after the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Today, almost no one defends that invasion, he said, adding that even former president George W Bush appears to have expressed remorse over it.
“I expect to see a rethinking of US foreign policy toward Israel in the next three to four years.”
Kuru said although the US remains Israel’s staunchest ally, it may no longer offer unconditional support for Israel’s military operations against Palestine.
He explained that there are two key reasons for this anticipated shift.
US domestic and foreign policies tend to follow an “action-reaction” cycle over time, he said, a pattern which political scientists describe as a “swinging pendulum”.
For example, Kuru said, periods of strong emphasis on secularism in public discourse often emerge in reaction to earlier periods of religious influence in American public institutions.
“In the same way, a more balanced US stance toward Israeli actions—particularly those perceived as aggressive toward Palestinians—would not be surprising in the coming years.”
Secondly, there has been a notable shift in public opinion within the Democratic Party, with a majority of Democratic voters now criticising Israeli military actions in Gaza.
“Over time, this change in public sentiment is likely to translate into real policy consequences,” he said.
Trump had last month suggested that his country could “take over” the Gaza Strip and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East”. Analysts have warned that the move could lead to the displacement of Palestinians.
The US is now trying to persuade some countries to resettle the Palestinians.
A few days ago, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump “fully supported” Israel’s resumption of air and ground operations in Gaza. - FMT

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