The growing process of public and political polarization in the United States impacts on support for Israel, which for many years was in the bipartisan political consensus. Joined by awakening waves of anti-Semitism, support for Israel, now identified most strongly with the Republican party, is becoming a controversial issue. These developments have weighty implications for Israel. First, the Israeli government is fully identified with the policies of President Trump, and this stands to challenge relations with the Democratic party and its representatives. Second, there is a growing gap between Jews in America and Jews in Israel, originating in religious, values-based, and political disagreements. These trends threaten two essential assets for Israel’s national security. One is the special relationship between Israel and the United States. Ironically, the record closeness currently evident between the two governments also highlights the growing challenge of maintaining bipartisan public and political support for Israel, as the main anchor for relations between the countries. The second is the internal cohesiveness of the US Jewish community and its relations with Israel.

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