Cosying up to Trump might benefit Netanyahu. But it won’t benefit Israel

The Israeli government has decided to play into Trump’s divisive political games by banning America’s elected representatives from entering Israel. Following reports that Democratic congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar would be banned from entering Israel, a tweet by President Trump went out this week which read: “It would show great weakness if Israel allowed Rep[resentative]. Omar and Rep. Tlaib to visit. They hate Israel & all Jewish people, & there is nothing that can be said or done to change their minds.”

These words were seemingly enough to persuade Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, to reverse his resistance to the move. Israeli interior minister, Aryeh Deri, confirmed that Israel would in fact bar Tlaib and Omar from entering Israel based on their support for BDS. Eventually, after international outcry and condemnation from those on the left and right of US politics, it was announced that Tlaib – an American Palestinian – would be allowed passage to the West Bank on humanitarian grounds, to visit her family.

The decision to ban Omar is clearly a political one. There are several Arab members of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, who have views far more radical than Tlaib and Omar. But is banning people who hold different views really what the US-Israeli alliance is supposed to be about?

Ultimately, the question shouldn’t be about Trump’s motivation to throw his own congress under the bus. After all, his allegiance to American politicians have always been suspect. But Israel’s claim to be a liberal democracy, despite being unable to tolerate criticism from nationals of its closest ally, must now be more heavily scrutinised.

The problem with America’s strongest ally in the Middle East is Israel’s lack of will to pursue the moral high ground. Countless victories in war have cemented the country’s place in the Middle East, so much so that the government has come to identify criticism against it as a bigger, more immediate threat. Such attitudes manifested themselves in Israel’s 2017 entry law, where individuals calling for boycotts of Israel or its illegal West Bank settlements were barred entry to the country. This included Jewish Voices for Peace, a Jewish-led organisation that prioritises Palestinian rights.

Because of anti-democratic legislation like this, it will remain difficult for Israel to defeat the growing threat of what can only be called the world’s moral conscience.

I was almost barred from entering Israel myself mere months before Israel’s boycott legislation became a law.

“Tell me what you want to do in Palestine,” the woman at the King Hussein border-crossing interrogation room between Jordan and the West Bank asked me during my visit in 2017. “I see you came without qualifying for a free trip.”

I wonder why she phrased it like that, I thought. She went on: “Do you think it is right or wrong to finally visit?”

I was confused, but suddenly it clicked: she was repeating the words I wrote in a story I wrote as a journalism student on reforming Israel’s Birthright programme several years back. Had my awkward story really made it all the way here? I didn’t even think my editors had paid it much attention, let alone an Israeli interrogator. I was shocked. My eyes wandered as I tried to piece together what was happening, and I noticed the guard leaning against the wall grip the gun draped around his chest.

I was one of the lucky ones who was ultimately allowed through. My family and I would eventually be released and allowed to enter the West Bank to rejoin our travel group several hours later. But we were given a card stating that we had to leave the following week – something no one else in our travel group received.

Israel has always desired acceptance as part of the west. But when it comes down to it, the west values a liberal democracy over an autocratic one. When Israel’s behaviour is moulded through the country’s longest serving prime minister, who is desperately seeking more time in office to stay out of jail on corruption charges, the political reasons to stoke the flames set by Trump start to make sense. Ahead of September’s snap election, it’s clear that Israel’s democracy is declining due to Netanyahu’s desperate need to cling on to power.

Israel’s call to bar Ilhan Omar from visiting, and only allow Rashida Tlaib to enter on humanitarian grounds so long as she promises not to support sanctions, is a political mistake that will have long-term consequences. By choosing to un-invite the two lone Muslim congresswomen to tour the country, Netanyahu chose to take a self-destructive leap towards right-wing voters and his relationship with Trump ahead of maintaining strong bipartisan US support for Israel.

Support for Israel was always bipartisan, as evidenced by the past condemnation of and legislation against antisemitism by high-profile Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. But now that new members of congress have been targeted, the Democratic party will have to pick a side and stand up for them, which could ultimately be detrimental to Israel. This includes widespread condemnation by members of congress who have previously supported legislation that would have let Israel off the hook for denying entry to American citizens.

Time will tell whether Israel’s boycott of opinions will benefit Netanyahu’s administration in the long run, but one thing is for certain: it won’t benefit Israel.