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American Responses to Israeli Foreign Policy Initiatives

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American Responses to Israeli Foreign Policy Initiatives AMERICAN RESPONSES TO ISRAELI FOREIGN POLICY INITIATIVES by Rebekah Israel A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of The Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, Florida May 2008 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my thesis chair and advisor, Dr. Jeffrey S. Morton, for his patience and assistance in every phase of this project. Also, I am grateful for the help I received from the members of my supervisory committee, Dr. Edward W. Schwerin and Dr. Sam H. Hawkins. Dr. Schwerin has been very supportive of my research interest in Israel. Dr. Hawkins has offered much needed suggestions and guidance. I would like to acknowledge the kindness of members of the Faculty and Staff at Florida Atlantic University. Professor of Statistics Dragan Radulovic was extremely helpful by assisting with the statistical analysis. Professor of Political Science Tim Lenz offered his useful criticisms. At the University Center for Excellence in Writing, Jay Lawrence Michaels and Avia Janette Huisman provided many thoughtful insights and corrections. My family members have been constant in their love. My father, Ben Abeles, a resourceful writer and brilliant scientist, helped with editing. My children, Rachel and Arie, the inspiration of my life, have kept alive in me the drive to succeed in this endeavor. Finally, I am eternally grateful to my husband, Ben, for his technical assistance, unsurpassed advice and encouragement. iii ABSTRACT Author: Rebekah Israel Title: American Responses to Israeli Foreign Policy Initiatives Institution: Florida Atlantic University Thesis Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey S. Morton Degree: Master of Arts Year: 2008 The origin of the United States-Israeli relationship can be found in President Harry S. Truman’s support for the new state of Israel on May 14, 1948. While support to Israel has varied during Presidential administrations from Dwight D. Eisenhower to George W. Bush, strategic interests have steadily defined the nation’s responses to Israel. In order to measure U.S. reaction to Israel, this study conducted a content analysis on U.S. statements published in the New York Times following four Israeli military initiatives: the 1967 Six-Day War, the 1976 Raid on Entebbe, the 1981 Raid on Osirak, and the 2006 Lebanon War. The research reveals that the U.S. reacts more positively to Israeli reactive than to anticipatory and preemptive self-defensive actions. iv CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES........................................................................................................... viii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS............................................................................................. ix Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................1 Research Design...........................................................................................................1 The Hypotheses.....................................................................................................2 Research Methodology.................................................................................................3 Coding ...................................................................................................................3 The Importance of the Study ........................................................................................4 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................8 International Relations Theory .....................................................................................8 Modern Classical Realism.....................................................................................9 Neorealism...........................................................................................................10 Systems Theory ...................................................................................................11 Alliances..............................................................................................................12 Other Models.......................................................................................................13 Levels of Analysis and Causes of War................................................................14 American Foreign Policy............................................................................................15 Levels of Decision Making .................................................................................16 v Factors Deciding Content of Policy ....................................................................17 Theories Explaining Policy towards Israel..........................................................17 The Strategic Interests Model......................................................................20 The Bureaucratic Politics Model..................................................................39 The Domestic Politics Model...................................................................... 45 Common Values...........................................................................................54 The Middle East..................................................................................................58 Styles of the Presidents................................................................................58 Branches of Government and Democracy ...................................................61 The U.S. and Nuclear Proliferation..............................................................62 U.S.-Saudi Relations....................................................................................65 3. HISTORY OF UNITED STATES-ISRAELI RELATIONS.........................................71 American Interests in the Middle East........................................................................71 Israel’s Strategic Importance ......................................................................................72 The State Department .................................................................................................73 Truman and the Origins of the American-Israeli Alliance .........................................73 Dwight D. Eisenhower................................................................................................77 The Kennedy Administration: A Change in Policy....................................................84 The Johnson Presidency: the Special Relationship Improves ....................................85 The Nixon Administration..........................................................................................89 The Ford Administration ............................................................................................99 The Carter Administration........................................................................................100 The Reagan Administration......................................................................................101 vi The Post-Cold War and American-Israeli Relations ................................................103 The Bush Administration..........................................................................................104 Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush ...........................................................104 U.S.-Israeli Relations with the Third World.............................................................105 4. THE ISRAELI MILITARY INITIATIVES ................................................................106 1967 War ..................................................................................................................106 1976 Entebbe............................................................................................................125 1981 Osirak...............................................................................................................132 2006 Lebanon War ...................................................................................................141 5. SELF-DEFENSE .........................................................................................................153 History of the Use of Force ......................................................................................155 Self-Defense .............................................................................................................157 Summary...................................................................................................................161 6. DATA COLLECTION AND FINDINGS...................................................................162 Data Collection.........................................................................................................162 The Results...............................................................................................................164 Findings ....................................................................................................................170 7. CONCLUSIONS..........................................................................................................177 Appendix 1. CODE BOOK ..............................................................................................................196 2. CONTENT ANALYSIS DATA..................................................................................197 BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................................................214
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