‘Whether people like Israel or not’: What six words in a Trump post reveal

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-893539

Israel has just fought shoulder to shoulder with the US, yet Trump's choice of words suggests that Israel has shifted from a broadly accepted ally to a debated one.

Just days before Independence Day, US President Donald Trump on Sunday posted a message on his social media platform praising Israel and extolling it as an exemplary ally.

“Whether people like Israel or not, they have proven to be a GREAT Ally of the United States of America. They are Courageous, Bold, Loyal, and Smart, and, unlike others that have shown their true colors in a moment of conflict and stress, Israel fights hard and knows how to WIN!”

Those words should put a smile on the lips of every Israeli. They should, but it is the opening six words that linger: “Whether people like Israel or not.”

The emphasis is not on what Israel represents or how that aligns with American values, but rather on what it delivers. This is a subtle yet significant shift – a more transactional framing: Israel moving from a natural partner to a useful one. This framing reflects a broader and troubling reality: Israel has become a dividing line within American politics, part of the culture-war terrain rather than, as it once was, a rare point of consensus.