The increasing Republican divide over Netanyahu and Israel

Washington – Saeed Arikat 

As U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and influential Republican figures prepare to participate in the "Annual Gathering of the Conservative National Movement" taking place in the U.S. capital Washington (Tuesday, September 2-4), prominent conservative figures have begun warning Trump that supporting Israel's war in Gaza represents a political burden, according to multiple statements from movement leaders.

Experts say there is an increasing divide regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and what the U.S. president should do about Israel.

Kurt Mills, executive director of "The American Conservative" magazine and a speaker at the fifth national conference of the conservatives, stated: "If the 'MAGA' movement and 'America First,' or whatever its name is, truly want to be ideologically cohesive, it cannot be 'America First' except for Israel."

This conference, which began on Tuesday, brings together voices from the Trump administration such as Tom Homan, immigration official, and Tulsi Gabbard, national intelligence director, along with key figures in the "MAGA" movement like Steve Bannon, as part of a project to enrich the political framework supporting Trumpism.

Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform Movement in the UK, addressed the conference on Tuesday.

After four years of isolation, the national conservative movement and its priorities – which emphasize national identity and sovereignty, family values, and opposition to globalization – are gaining significant momentum.

The fast-paced sessions reflect Trump's approach to reshaping American society, with titles such as: "Fighting the Islamic Consciousness Coalition on Campuses."

Mills warned that Israel could drag Washington into a long-term foreign entanglement – controversial among some audiences.

He said: "I think young people will love it, and I think it will receive mixed acceptance among those in power."

He added that the reasons for U.S. involvement in the Middle East have diminished over the years. While it was previously necessary to protect oil supplies, the U.S. is now a net energy exporter, and the importance of the Suez Canal for American trade has decreased.

This means that only Israel remains (as a reason for U.S. involvement) – and there is no longer justification for saying that defending it serves American national interests as a means to promote stability in an unstable region, according to Mills. He added: "I also think it's the wrong question, because I believe Israel has 200 nuclear weapons, all aimed at Tehran."

"So the idea that it is actually threatened by its neighbors... I think it's the wrong choice. I believe its greatest threat is its own contradictions and its inability to solve its humanitarian problem at its borders."

It is noted that for many years, both the left and the right prioritized aid and arms for Israel. Its founding as a state in the aftermath of the Holocaust gave it a special status in Washington, and for decades, it was considered a bridgehead for democracy in the Middle East. However, Democrats have long warned Benjamin Netanyahu that his right-wing policies and hardline approach to Palestinian territories undermine their party's support.

Now, the rise of "America First" principles has created a divide within the Republican Party, torn between an isolationist war policy to end foreign conflict and the necessity of returning to an old friend.

It is noted that Matt Gaetz, a former congressman, is among those who warned Trump that supporting Israel represents a political burden.

Bannon, who was one of Trump's staunchest supporters and served as a strategic advisor in the White House during Trump's first term, and hosted the influential "War Room" program, has long argued against foreign interventions. When Israel launched its 12-day war against Iran on June 13, he was among the right-wing figures who warned that Washington risks being dragged into a devastating conflict in the Middle East.

Netanyahu has warned, stating to the conservative site Breitbart: "Israel is fighting Iran, and you cannot be 'MAGA' if you are pro-Iran, and you cannot be 'MAGA' if you are anti-Israel," prompting Bannon to