Israel and America--Symbiotic or Dependent?

Since it's been quiet around here, I'll throw out a question for people to discuss.

My husband and I were having one of our semi-frequent gripe fests about the direction America is headed, yadda, yadda, yadda. I said, "I like the idea that, should things get bad in America, I have a place to escape to (i.e. Israel)."

My husband looked at me as if I was daft and said, "If things are bad here, how much worse will they be in Israel? That's like saying it's hot in the kitchen, so let's jump into the cookpot. If the American government collapsed, Israel would not be able to survive. They need our billions of aid dollars. They get all of their aircraft and tanks and most of their guns from us; they couldn't even keep themselves equipped if the parts dried up. And without the threat of America giving them some measure of defense, everyone in the middle east would jump on them like a buffet table."

Now me, I believe in Israel's continued existence because of Biblical prophesy, so while the loss of America as an ally would certainly make life difficult in Israel, I don't think it would spell the end. But holding the Bible up as a shield is not terribly logical. (Even the Bible doesn't expect you to live by faith alone.)

So what are other people's opinions on what would happen to Israel if all aid--monetary, military, and political--from the U.S. government dried up. (Note: I assume that aid from individuals in the U.S.--both Jewish and evangelical Christian--would continue to at least some degree.)

Israel is the only friend we have in the middle east. We are not ever going to have arab countries as allies. Israel is our ally and as an ally we need to stand by them. Right now more then ever when the world seems to be turning against Israel my country needs to stand beside her.

I think Israel is the only place where Jews are in control of their destiny and right now I am afraid for her existence.

I went to a speech by Anat Hoffman at my shul and she said right now we don't need to worry about Israel and her security that the Israelis can take care of her security but we do need to worry about Israel and its being a place for all Jews. She said right now Israel is at a crossroads as to what Judaism will look like and that it is not a home for all Jews. That the ultra orthodox are very much in control and that all Jews who are converts have many issues in Israel.

I believe we have a right to be in Israel because of our historical presence. I also believe that history has made it clear that as Jews we cannot trust our safety to others.

Mychal wrote:

So what are other people's opinions on what would happen to Israel if all aid--monetary, military, and political--from the U.S. government dried up. (Note: I assume that aid from individuals in the U.S.--both Jewish and evangelical Christian--would continue to at least some degree.)

I would imagine if aid from the US dried up there would also be a lack of funds from individuals. Now, that being said if things were that bad off...I don't know? I was talking to an older woman today about the future of Israel. She's terrified something is going to happen. That Iran will wipe Israel off the map or something of that nature. I told her I think it's going to stick around. I don't know why I feel that way. It's not a Biblical Prophecy thing for me. I just think it's here to stay. One day this planet will be no more and perhaps our Universe will explode or whatever but as for while we are still here I think Israel is going to be around for a very long time.

My thought was that America didn't help during the Six Days' War. Egypt (and Syria and Jordan, to a lesser extent) amassed an army on the border of Israel and everyone in the world--including the U.S.--told Israel they better not do anything, or else they'd be doing it alone. Israel did a preemptive attack anyways and broke the Egyptian army and--more importantly--all but broke the desire of Egypt and Jordan to wage war against Israel until it was wiped off the map.

So I look at that and wonder if Israel needs America's help to defend its borders? Of course, some of their success was the result of American military equipment and arms--which they had already been given/purchased at a discount--but they also had equipment that they had bought from other countries. North Korea is a prime example that there's always someone in the world willing to sell you weapons.

I also think about the fact that Jews held off the Nazis in the Warsaw ghetto for longer than many countries in Europe held out, and they had no help at all. Where there's a will, there's a way, I think.