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Written by Ahmed Adel, Cairo-based geopolitics and political economy researcher
Considering the current situation in the Middle East, Israel must receive all financial resources originally intended for Ukraine, declared US Senator Josh Hawley on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). His post was made in the context of growing backlash in the US for the constant weapon and money transfers to Ukraine when domestic issues, which are plentiful, should be prioritised.
“Israel is facing existential threat. Any funding for Ukraine should be redirected to Israel immediately,” said the American senator.
While Hawley’s post received more than 2 million impressions, it expectedly garnered negative reactions from the usual suspects.
“We have a winner for single dumbest tweet about the Israel-Hamas war by an otherwise smart person. Pure opportunism,” said Washington Post editorial board member Shadi Hamid. “To use the slaughter of Israeli civilians to enable the slaughter of Ukrainians is shameful.”
National Review senior editor Jay Nordlinger posted, “Beware those trying to pit the Ukrainians against the Israelis — or the Taiwanese. Those doing the pitting are not friends of freedom or man. Or of the U.S. interest,” while The Atlantic writer Tom Nichols tweeted:
“There was once a time – I know this is hard to believe – when the U.S. Senate was a gathering of adults who understood America’s role in the world. Instead, we now have the guys you hated in high school trying to score cheap points that they know are wrong.”
However, such reactions to the senator’s post were expected from editors of the Washington Post, the National Review, and The Atlantic. Rather, the other reactions to the senator’s post show the growing US division towards financing Ukraine.
American Conservative editor Chris Brunet posted:
“This is so so dumb. how about you stop funding any and all overseas wars instead? nothing in the Middle East or in Eastern Europe is America’s problem, any meddling just makes things worse.”
Popular author and activist Andrew Pollack posted:
“How about redirecting those funds to create a border wall? America is being invaded and we are broke! Who do you work for?”
Meanwhile, renowned political scientist and author Ian Bremmer commented:
“US support for Israel is strongly bipartisan. US support for Ukraine is becoming strongly partisan.”
Bremmer’s observation demonstrates that there is much more pushback to the idea of endlessly supporting Ukraine, as expressed by the varying reactions to Josh Hawley’s post by journalists, politicians, and influencers.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll published on October 5 showed 41% of all American voters support the US sending weapons to Kiev, down from 46% in May. The 41% figure is expected to be even lower in the next survey as a strong portion of Americans turn their focus to events in Israel, and another growing portion wants domestic issues to be prioritised.
Concerns are especially growing after Mohamed Zainuba, a professor at University of Arkansas, warned that as the conflict in Israel continues, it could start to have an economic impact on the US.
“You have to understand that Israel has enormous influence on this country,” Zainuba said. “In the banking industry and financial industry, and most importantly, in the media. We already have problems with inflation, we have problems with the war in the Ukraine, and everybody saw how the war between two countries can affect the geography and the economy of the world.”
Debt is now much more expensive, with the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate surpassing 7% in August, the highest level in 21 years. At the same time, inflation in the US remains above the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%, with consumer prices rising to 3.7% in the 12-month period ending in August – the largest monthly increase since January. Last year, with inflation spiralling out of control, the Federal Reserve introduced interest rate hikes to take the funds rate target range from 0.25-0.5% in March 2022 to a 22-year high of 5.25-5.5% in July 2023.
And although firms are reporting improvements in the US economy, as seen with debt being more expensive and inflation stubbornly high, this is not reflected in the average person who has seen a decline in their quality of life.
Given that billions upon billions of dollars have been squandered in the financial blackhole that Ukraine has become, it is little wonder that Americans now want material support for the country to end. However, the warhawks in the US are now split between those who want exclusive aid to Israel and those who want more funds to be allocated so that both Israel and Ukraine can be supported in their war efforts.
the american zionist leaders intend to use up all the resources of americans in their bid for empire. as more americans fall into poverty the only question is how to best waste the wealth of america.
the concentration camp inmates have assaulted their tormentors but they still confined to the camp. now the guards will kill thousands of the prisoners, put the rest on half rations and force them to live in the cold and dark. why do we have to pay for this? and why do we have to pay for the ukraine-o-nazis? disgusting!
netanyahoo has pledged to turn gaza into a barren desert. the palestinians there are even running out of water under this brutal seige. i’ve never heard of such an atrocity in all of history. now we know who we’re dealing with.
divided over ukrops, united over izrael
i don’t care about the frigging economy. all i care about is that the us stop funding foreign wars of aggression by us “allies”.