The commonly held belief for many years was that Israel relied heavily on the United States for its survival. However, experts now suggest that Israel has been working towards and may have achieved a level of autonomy from the US. According to political scientist Vipin Narang, there is a noticeable increase in Israeli independence. Israel no longer relies on US security guarantees for protection from neighboring states, as it has mostly made peace with them. It also no longer sees the need for American mediation in the Palestinian conflict, which Israelis generally find tolerable and support maintaining. Israel used to depend on US arms transfers, but now produces many of its essential weapons domestically. Diplomatically, Israel has become more self-sufficient by forming alliances independent of Washington. Israelis are also less concerned with US approval culturally, and place less pressure on their leaders to maintain a good relationship with Washington. US aid to Israel has decreased in proportion to Israel's growing economy over the years. In 1981, US aid made up almost 10% of Israel's economy, but in 2020 it was closer to 1%, at nearly $4 billion. Washington's influence in the conflict has also diminished, as they called for a cease-fire only after an Egyptian-brokered agreement was almost finalized. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit the region, but he does not plan to restart formal Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. The change is happening at a time when some Democrats and liberal activists are questioning the traditional support for Israel in Washington, due to concerns about its treatment of Palestinians. Despite this, there are still a significant number of Americans who support Israel, and Democratic politicians have not fully embraced the growing support for Palestinians among their voters. The US still has influence over Israel, as it does with other countries it provides aid to. Former President Trump's strong support for Israel showed that the relationship is still beneficial for Israel. However, US leverage over Israel may be decreasing to the point where Israel may act independently of US interests, regardless of bipartisan consensus. Steps towards achieving self-sufficiency have been taken in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with a shift in the dynamics of the conflict over the past 15 years. The violence has decreased significantly, with lower levels of attacks in both the West Bank and Israel. While there have been occasional outbreaks of fighting in Gaza, Israel has managed to shift the burden onto Gazans. The ratio of conflict deaths between Palestinians and Israelis has shifted from 3-to-1 to 20-to-1. Many Israelis have lost faith in the peace process and see periodic fighting as the best option. The occupation is a constant burden for Palestinians but is often overlooked by Jewish Israelis. Yaël Mizrahi-Arnaud, a research fellow at an Israeli think tank, believes that Israelis have grown comfortable with this situation and are willing to accept the costs. Israel is able to maintain this status quo without much assistance from external sources. In previous years, Israel heavily relied on US-made warplanes and advanced equipment for its military, which needed approval from Congress and the White House. Now, the country has shifted to using missile defense technology that is mostly produced and maintained domestically, showing Israel's determination for self-sufficiency. Despite doubts in the past, the effectiveness of Israel's missile defense system is now at 90%, with each interceptor costing $50,000. Israel began pursuing military independence in the 1990s due to strained relations with the George HW Bush administration and perceived US inability to protect Israel from Iraqi missile attacks. This belief became stronger under subsequent presidents, as their push for peace with the Palestinians clashed with Israeli desires to maintain control of the West Bank and blockade Gaza. This led Israel to develop independent capabilities to reduce vulnerability to US pressure, including intelligence gathering. Israel no longer depends heavily on US protection and is less concerned about international isolation, as it now faces a more supportive international community. Powers that used to oppose Israel on an "anti-imperialist" basis have shifted their focus. While opinions about Israel vary internationally and are mostly negative in Muslim-majority regions, Israel has developed relationships in parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Even neighboring Arab countries like Jordan and Egypt, which were once enemies, are now pursuing peace, and hostilities have decreased with other Arab states. In recent developments, the Abraham Accords, facilitated by Trump, led to Israel establishing diplomatic relations with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Israel has since also normalized relations with Morocco and reached a diplomatic agreement with Sudan. Dahlia Scheindlin, an Israeli political analyst and pollster, mentioned that there used to be discussions about an impending diplomatic crisis, but it never actually happened. Scheindlin conducts an annual poll where Israelis are asked to prioritize national challenges, with security and the economy consistently ranking highest. Foreign relations, however, are now seen as less important. European diplomats issue warnings that do not have any consequences, while Democrats discuss the future of the alliance. Despite this, Israelis perceive their international standing as strong. Israel has also aimed to distance itself from the United States in terms of diplomacy. In the mid-2010s, Benjamin Netanyahu campaigned against Obama's reelection due to disagreements on Middle East policies, causing a decline in relations. Netanyahu has since built relationships with illiberal democracies like Brazil, Hungary, and India, who support Israel's treatment of Palestinians. This strategy, referred to as the "other friends policy" by Scheindlin, has led Israelis to believe that US acceptance is no longer essential for their survival. At the same time, increasing nationalism has led to a greater willingness to ignore international criticism. Washington's backing of Israel's democratic credentials, a form of leverage traditionally used by American diplomats, is becoming less significant each year. Risking the bipartisan consensus has always been considered one of the main responsibilities of any Israeli prime minister. When Netanyahu sided with Republicans in the mid-2010s, including criticizing Obama in Congress, it was anticipated that he would face backlash at home. However, Obama and Democratic members of Congress did not significantly alter their support. Americans elected Trump, who showed more favoritism towards Netanyahu than any other president before him. This event led Israelis to feel a sense of confidence and lack of fear of repercussions from American politicians. In focus groups conducted after President Biden's election, it was found that Israelis no longer worry about potential backlash from the United States. They now view American politics with a sense of detachment and are less concerned about the impact on Israel. Many Israelis have become disinterested in the peace process, viewing it as futile and of low importance due to a perceived tolerable status quo. This shift in attitude has altered the relationship with the US, as Israeli leaders no longer feel pressured to show commitment to peace through Washington. Instead, leaders are facing increased pressure to go against American wishes, such as by expanding settlements in the West Bank or even annexing it. Israel is not the first small state to seek independence from a powerful patron, but in this case, the Americans were the ones who helped build up Israel's military and diplomatic independence, diminishing their own influence. After almost 50 years of not using this leverage to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it may be disappearing. Mizrahi-Arnaud notes that Israel feels emboldened because the United States has not pressured them recently.