It has been 62 days since the attack on Re’im Music Festival on Oct. 7 and Israel continues to direct bombings and military action to densely populated civilian spaces as several military and government leaders have advocated for the extermination of the Palestinian people.
Near the end of the temporary ceasefire taking place on days 47 through 54, the US House asserted that Anti-Zionism is synonymous anti-semitism in a Republican-led measure with a vote of 311-14, with 92 Democrats abstaining.
Critics have called the move an effort to suppress criticism of Israel and to further restrict free speech. Despite the measure’s low chance of making it through a Democratic-majority senate, the effort signifies the tangible political support for Zionism that helps to defend Israel’s interests within the US government.
Complicit at best and collaborative at worst, unequivocal support for Israel is a stance commonly held in both prominent Democrats and Republicans. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently outlined her opposition to a ceasefire in an op-ed written for the Atlantic, stating that “a full cease-fire that leaves Hamas in power would be a mistake,” and instead advocated for limited humanitarian pauses that would “allow aid to get in and civilians and hostages to get out.”
Additionally, Texas’ current Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz refuse to heed constituent demands submitted to their respective offices calling for a ceasefire, instead emphasizing losses suffered by Israel on Oct. 7. The White House has similarly reiterated Israel’s “right to defend itself.”
The total number of Palestinians killed since Oct. 7 surpasses 17,000. Israel suffered 1,332 casualties on and after Oct. 7, including 416 soldiers, officers, and reservists.
Though the US has a long history of allyship with Israel, dating back to the establishment of the state, its associations run deeper and stretch wider beyond the political sphere. Zionist interests and support – both preceding and succeeding World War II – has left its traces in our culture and economy.
While special interest lobbies such as American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) spent almost $25 million to ensure bipartisan support for Israel in 2022, Christian restorationism has kept ideals aligning with Zionism within the religious spaces of America from as far back as the 19th century.
Professor George Bush of New York University’s Hebrew department – a distant relative to the Bush political dynasty – published The Valley of Vision; or, The Dry Bones of Israel Revived in 1844. In the book, Bush directly called for Jews to return to Israel, most of whom would then convert to Christianity and form a “link of communication” between God and the people of the world. The Valley of Vision serves as the first prominent Christian Zionist literary work written in the United States. The book sold around a million copies during the antebellum period.
Christian Zionism played an increasingly significant role in the United States’ foreign policy by the 1980s. In an article submitted to Columbia University’s journal American Diplomacy: Volume IX, no. 2, William N. Dale, a retired senior Foreign Service officer, stated:
“Christian Zionist campaigns to influence presidential politics began in a major way with Ronald Reagan’s campaign in 1980, when they joined with much publicity in the effort to boost him into the White House. The new president quickly brought Christian Zionists, such as [Jerry] Falwell, [Pat] Robertson, and Hal Lindsey, into White House activities that included congressional and national leaders,” Dale says. “Presidents Bush Senior and Clinton did not have the same rapport with Christian Zionists as their predecessor, although the various pro-Israel lobbies helped to keep them on a path generally favorable to Israel.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the “prophecy of Isaiah” would be realized in a statement about a month into the siege, making reference to the Christian Zionist evangelical belief in the second coming of the Messiah. This is not the first time Netanyahu has invoked scripture in a political address.
Likewise, oil companies and military defense corporations have a direct stake in both violence against and the displacement of Palestinians. While corporations like Exxon have maintained prolonged interest in the region, local military contractors such as General Dynamics benefit as they produce bombs and weapons which are sold/provided to Israel. Following violence, displacement, and bombings, more land will be vacant and available for drilling by corporations that have received gas exploration licenses.
Aside from oil and defense, corporations across industries have similarly made investments into Israel. From companies like PepsiCo, which holds Israeli subsidiaries like SodaStream and takes advantage of lower wages due to discrimination against Palestinians in the West Bank, to L’Oreal, which conducts business in the state and partners with Israeli companies, statements made in support of Israel serve to protect these financial interests.
Boycott, Divest, Sanctions (BDS) is a Palestinian-led movement that has laid out guidelines for people across the world to redirect financial support away from companies and brands profiting off of the genocide of Palestinians. While other boycott lists online are not targeted, the effects of them are minimized as consumers suffer fatigue from prohibitively long lists. Variably, BDS has organized specific boycotts by level of importance and distinction between a consumer boycott, a divestment, and a pressure target.
Among the international companies who are identified as offering the most support and complicity in Israel’s occupation, boycott targets exist in various commercial sectors such as athletic apparel & footwear (Puma), information technology (Hewlett-Packard Inc), automation (Siemens), and real estate (Re/Max).
As the ties between capitalism, Zionism, and US Foreign Policy remain apparent and tangible, Palestinian rights advocates attempt to form greater initiatives to cut financial support and discourage Zionist sentiments in both politics and business. While the Siege continues, corporations across industries offer unequivocal support for Israel as more Palestinian civilians are killed, injured, or buried under the rubble of Gaza.