A National Conservative split over Israel is the subject of a 03 September 2025 article from Responsible Statecraft. The article covers a heated debate at the National Conservatism conference in Washington, where foreign policy divisions among conservatives surfaced publicly over U.S. support for Israel. The article begins:
Don’t look now but the foreign policy divisions among the conservatives gathered at the annual National Conservatism conference are no longer contained. Today they finally spilled out, like gushing hot lava or whatever metaphor is best, all over Breakout Session B. Fascinatingly it wasn’t over the Ukraine War, or China, but over Israel. For many realists and restrainers who include themselves in this annual event — dominated by New Right conservatives who are a bit diverse but at this confab largely support state sovereignty, traditional values, and “the idea of nation” — today was a bit of a victory. For years, “NatCon”, launched in 2019 by Yoram Hazony, a staunch pro-Israel nationalist, had largely stayed away from foreign policy; a rare panel on China here, one on NATO there, interspersed with overwrought conversations about the threat of Islamism here in the U.S. and abroad.
Read more: Responsible Statecraft
Key Points
- A major debate at the National Conservatism conference revealed conservative divisions over U.S. support for Israel.
- Curt Mills criticized Israel as a “tail wagging the dog,” challenging the alignment of America First with pro-Israel policies.
- Max Abrahms defended Trump’s Iran policy and denounced realists as “MAGA isolationist realists” with misguided analysis.
- Audience reactions showed mixed support, signaling growing tension within the conservative foreign policy camp.
Israel & the Global National Conservative Alliance
Israel’s Likud party has aligned with European far-right movements by securing observer status in the Patriots for Europe parliamentary group, a strategic move that brings Netanyahu’s government closer to nationalist parties emphasizing sovereignty and opposing multiculturalism.
This development reflects a broader transnational ideological partnership with India and other national-conservative actors, united by skepticism of progressive globalism and a focus on civilizational identity over liberal universalism.
The growing alliance also leverages shared media and advocacy networks to amplify their political vision, though this convergence has exposed significant internal tensions—particularly among younger conservatives in the United States who increasingly question unconditional alignment with Israel, a rift that became visible at recent high-profile movement gatherings.
External References:
- Major conservative split over Israel spills out into the open at NatCon
- GOP Split Over Israel Exposed At NatCon5 Gathering
- The new pro-Israeli clothes of Europe’s far right
Disclaimer
The Global Influence Operations Report (GIOR) employs AI throughout the posting process, including generating summaries of news items, the introduction, key points, and often the “context” section. We recommend verifying all information before use. Additionally, images are AI-generated and intended solely for illustrative purposes. While they represent the events or individuals discussed, they should not be interpreted as real-world photography.
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