The courage to stand alone: Why Israel no longer trusts America

(JNS) — Since Israel’s founding, one assumption guided its leaders: that America would always stand as the ultimate guarantor of its security. From Truman’s recognition in 1948 to Kennedy’s arms deals and Reagan’s intelligence coordination, this belief became almost sacred.

Even moments of tension—such as Eisenhower’s rebuke after Suez or Obama’s Iran deal—were seen as temporary storms in a permanent alliance.

By 2025, that illusion was fractured. The world has changed: Washington’s focus drifts between Asia and domestic politics, while Israel’s enemies grow bolder and its friends more conditi...