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Israel

 

Despite Israel's human rights violations and violations of the laws of war, including selective assassinations, use of excessive and lethal force in crowd control, demolition of Palestinian homes, torture and ill-treatment, as well as administrative detention, the United States of America is a staunch ally of Israel making it the number one recipient of U.S. aid. 

Politically, Israel is the most powerful country in the U.S. Congress thanks largely to the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Members of Congress rarely criticize Israeli practices and some members go out of their way to attack those who do raise relevant and probing questions about the troubling Israeli record. 

The State Department's close relationship with Israel is a bit more complex, going beyond but not being immune to constituent power politics. Israel has been regarded as the tip of the U.S.'s spear in the region, especially during the first Cold War (1945-1989).

April 7 2002 Jerusalem Press Conference

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