Dan Soyangco

💡 MOSSADIL COMMENTARY ISRAEL FIRST: IT'S TIME TO RETHINK OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH AMERICA AND THE WORLD Israel needs to take a long, hard look at what is happening in the United States. We've watched the Democratic Party move increasingly away from Israel, alongside the rise of the red-green alliance and decades of Qatari money flowing into American universities, institutions, and influence networks. Now we're watching significant elements of the Republican Party turn against Israel as well. And it's happening faster than many expected. Ending American military aid to Israel may ultimately be a good thing. I believe it is. But there's a growing argument that Israel will simply transition from being America's dependent to being America's peer. I'm not convinced. I'm not convinced Israel will enjoy the same relationship with the next administration, the next Congress, or the next Senate, regardless of which party controls them. And Israel cannot afford to build its national security strategy around the assumption that America will always be there. This is where Israel needs to fundamentally rethink its approach. Israel has spent decades proving that it is not simply a country that needs protection. It is a country that provides protection. Look at Europe. Look at the growing demand for Israeli defense systems, intelligence capabilities, cybersecurity, and military technology. Countries facing increasingly serious threats are turning to Israel to help protect their populations. That gives Israel something enormously valuable: LEVERAGE. And it's time we started using it. If a country wants Israeli technology to defend its cities, its infrastructure, and its citizens, it should not simultaneously be able to undermine Israel's security, impose embargoes, boycott Israeli communities, or advance diplomatic initiatives that Israel believes threaten its existence. That includes the unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. We cannot continue operating under a system in which countries condemn, isolate, and economically punish Israel, only to turn around and expect Israeli defense technology when their own security is threatened. There must be consequences. There must be reciprocity. I'm not suggesting Israel abandon its allies or stop building relationships. Quite the opposite. Israel should build more partnerships than ever before. But those partnerships must be based on mutual interests, mutual respect, and mutual benefit. We need to stop assuming that historical friendships, shared values, or emotional connections will automatically translate into political support. Governments change. Political movements change. Public opinion changes. National interests endure. Israel is becoming an increasingly important strategic asset to countries around the world. We need to recognize that, capitalize on it, and negotiate from a position of strength. And above all, we need to remember something: Israel's first responsibility is to the security, sovereignty, and future of the Jewish state. We cannot continue accepting hostility from governments that simultaneously depend on us to protect their own people. If they want Israel as a security partner, they must also be prepared to treat Israel as a partner. Israel First. Not as a slogan, but as a national strategy.