AI generated this summary from the Hebrew recording. No human has checked it, and it may contain errors. The recording is the authoritative source.
In this episode, Nitzan David Fuchs, host of the podcast “The Great Game”, joins the discussion on strategic aspects of Israel-US relations. Fuchs argues that Israel should change its perspective on the alliance and focus on how it can contribute to the United States, not just on what it can receive from it. According to him, such a change would allow Israel to upgrade its status, strengthen the alliance, and better deal with its regional challenges.
Read the full episode summary
A narrow view versus a historic opportunity
According to Nitzan David Fuchs, Israelis tend to focus too much on themselves and on immediate arenas like Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. He recounts that after the publication of the US National Security Strategy document, the first question he received from a former senior security official was about the document’s implications for Gaza. Fuchs claims this focus misses a historic opportunity. Instead of asking what the United States can do for Israel in the local arena, we should ask how Israel can help the United States with its global challenges. If Israel succeeds in becoming a more vital partner, its status will be upgraded, and it will be able to solve its local problems more easily.
The Chinese challenge and the problem of allies
Fuchs explains that the main strategic challenge for the United States today is the competition with China. Unlike previous rivals like the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany, which were significantly inferior economically, China is a rival of a similar magnitude, with an advanced economy and technological capabilities that compete with America in almost every field. The United States wants to concentrate all its limited resources on confronting China.
The greatest advantage the United States has over China is its extensive network of allies. However, Fuchs argues that most of these allies, especially in Europe and the Gulf, have become a military burden on the United States. After the Cold War, European countries dramatically cut their defense budgets. For example, Germany currently has only about 200 active tanks, compared to about 1,300 for Israel. The Gulf militaries, despite their advanced arms purchases, function more like social welfare projects and their performance is poor, as demonstrated in the war in Yemen. These countries expect that in the moment of truth, the Americans will come to their defense.
Israel as a strategic asset
Israel, according to Fuchs, is an exception in this landscape. It is a loyal ally with proven military capability, able to handle regional threats on its own, without needing American soldiers. The fact that Israel is fighting a war on several fronts without American ground involvement is proof of its exceptionalism. American strategists see Israel as a model for what they want other allies to be: net exporters of security, not just importers. Israel can help stabilize the Middle East, thereby allowing the United States to focus on other arenas.
In addition, Israel can contribute to strengthening other American allies. The sale of the Arrow 3 system to Germany, for example, builds an independent European air defense capability. Fuchs suggests that Israel should not only sell weapons but also transfer knowledge and operational experience to other countries in Europe and the Far East.
A new framework for security aid
The most important contribution Israel can offer, according to Fuchs, is in the technological field. He proposes changing the model of American security aid. Instead of receiving 3.8 billion dollars a year to purchase American weapons, Israel should move to a model of cooperation in research and development. The money would be directed to joint projects in areas like artificial intelligence, unmanned vehicles, and air defense.
According to him, such a change would transform the alliance from one of Israeli dependence to one of mutual dependence. The Pentagon would become dependent on Israeli technology, which would make it harder for future administrations to exert pressure on Israel. The move would also correct distortions in the IDF’s procurement, which tends to prefer “free” American equipment even if it is inferior. In addition, it would strengthen support for Israel in Congress, as Israeli funds would finance factories and jobs in the United States. Fuchs notes that according to reports, this idea is already being discussed between the governments.
In the Western camp: Israel cannot sit on the fence
Boris asks if Israel can bridge the gap between the United States and China. Fuchs rejects the idea outright. He argues that trying to “balance” between the great powers is a failed strategy, which ends with the country sitting on the fence getting hit from both sides. Israel, he emphasizes, is an inseparable part of the Western camp in economic, cultural, and value-based terms. The alternative, the Chinese world order or the “Global South”, sees Israel as a colonialist project and is ideologically hostile to it. The Chinese Communist Party has historically supported the Palestinians.
Therefore, Israel must recognize its place, contribute to strengthening the liberal Western order from which it benefits, and assist the United States in its competition with China. There is no need to take an openly hostile stance, but it is possible to contribute in smart ways, such as cooperating with Taiwan in the field of cyber or providing military advice. As a growing economy and a significant player, Israel must take responsibility and act with an understanding of its place in the international system.
The original episode, in Hebrew: היחסים האסטרטגיים ישראל-ארה״ב