Allies are, of course, important to Israel.
But only as a supplement to our own strength, not as its foundation.
No alliance, whether with the United States, Germany, or China, can or should be a cure-all for all our problems.
The cornerstone of both our foreign and domestic policy can only be one thing: ourselves.
Our society.
Our economy.
Our military strength.
Without that, diplomacy alone will not save us in a real crisis.
Especially in a new world that is becoming polarized once again.
Any ally acts first and foremost according to its own interests, its own electorate, and its own domestic politics.
Our main historical ally is the United States.
But it, too, is changing in noticeable ways.
Anti-Israel sentiment is growing in America.
Antisemitism is on the rise.
More and more people there believe that the United States should not be drawn into other people’s wars and should focus on itself instead.
Unfortunately, this is a troubling long-term trend, and it will inevitably shape future elections there as well.
In such conditions, dependence on the will of a foreign electorate is a dangerous model for Israel.
But there is a deeper problem as well.
Real alliances are built around strong states.
A country that is weakening from within and becoming increasingly dependent on external support may, over time, cease to be seen as a priority and instead come to be viewed as a burden, one whose interests can be traded away the moment it becomes convenient.
If we continue down the path of internal weakness, division, and dependence, then in the long run this may also change our standing in the eyes of our allies.
That is why the central question for Israel today is not whether America can still be relied upon.
The central question is a different one: how quickly can we strengthen our own country?
That path means:
a more stable and just society;
less internal decay;
less dependence on coalition blackmail;
greater economic, political, and diplomatic independence.
And these are not fantasies.
Israel has already shown more than once that it is capable of extraordinary achievements in nation-building.
I will write separately about the specific internal steps that I believe are necessary to strengthen the country.
In a new world where the old rules are weakening, international institutions are eroding, and states are increasingly focused first and foremost on their own security, relying on external support instead of strengthening ourselves is a dangerously naive illusion.
A strong alliance is useful.
But turning it into a substitute for our own strength is a mistake.