Democracy Under Duress: The U.S.-Israel Relationship

Picture this: It’s the middle of the Israeli summer and the sun is blazing down. Crowds of people are in the streets, banners aloft, voices raised. Protests have erupted over extremely controversial reforms—reforms that sound alarm bells about the very foundations of Israeli democracy.

Switch scenes to Chicago, Illinois. A Democratic congresswoman calls Israel a 'racist state.' Fairly swiftly, her colleagues in Washington, DC disavow her words, reaffirming the extraordinarily close but complex U.S.-Israel alliance.

In this episode host Ron Steslow and Avi Mayer (Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Post) break down the judicial reforms in Israel, the tinderbox of recent protests, that incendiary “racist state” comment, and the legislative maneuvering that followed—Congress's reaffirmation that yes, we “will always be a staunch partner and supporter of Israel.”

Segments to look forward to:

(02:00) The importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship for both nations 

(09:00) Basic overview of how Israel’s political system works 

(13:30) The aggressive push for controversial judicial reform in Israel

(24:34) How some of the proposed reforms would limit the power of the Supreme Court 

(28:20) The crisis that could arise from a standoff between the Knesset and the Supreme Court 

(31:00) What compromise might look like

(35:18) Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s remarks that Israel is a “racist state” 

(42:00) The House of Representatives’ resolution reaffirming support for Israel 

(44:44) Anti-Semitism from across the political spectrum 

Follow Ron and Avi on X (previously Twitter): 

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://twitter.com/AviMayer

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