The commonly held belief for many years was that Israel relied heavily on Washington for its survival. However, experts now believe that Israel has gradually gained independence from the United States and no longer depends on it as much as it used to. Israel no longer depends on US security guarantees for protection from neighboring states or American mediation in the Palestinian conflict. Israelis are content with the current situation and have become more self-reliant in terms of weapons production and diplomatic relations. They are also less concerned with US approval culturally and do not pressure their leaders to maintain good relations with Washington. US aid to Israel has remained high in absolute terms, but Israel's strong economic growth over the years has made the country less reliant on this aid. In 1981, US aid made up almost 10% of Israel's economy, but by 2020, it had decreased to around 1%. Washington's decreasing importance in the conflict was evident last week when they called for a cease-fire only after an agreement brokered by Egypt was close to being finalized. Israeli leaders agreed to the cease-fire because they had achieved their military goals in a ten-day conflict with Gaza. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be visiting the region this week, but has indicated that he does not plan to restart formal peace talks between Israel and Palestine. The shift is occurring at a time when some Democrats and activists on the left are challenging the longstanding agreement on Israel in Washington, due to concerns about Israel's treatment of Palestinians and actions in Gaza. Despite this, there is still a notable level of support for Israel among Americans, and Democratic politicians have not fully embraced their constituents' increasing backing of the Palestinians. The US continues to have influence over Israel through its provision of arms and diplomatic backing, as demonstrated by former President Donald Trump's strong support for the Israeli government. However, this leverage may be decreasing to the point where Israel may act independently of bipartisan consensus. Steps towards becoming self-sufficient have been taken by Israel in reengineering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is no longer as violent as it was during the Second Intifada 15 years ago. Violence against Israelis has decreased in the West Bank and Israel proper, with most of the burden now falling on Gazans during sporadic outbreaks of fighting between Israel and Gaza-based groups. The number of conflict deaths between Palestinians and Israelis has shifted from 3-to-1 in favor of Palestinians to 20-to-1. Despite ongoing occupation, many Israelis have lost faith in the peace process and see periodic fighting as a better option. While the occupation remains a constant burden for Palestinians, many Jewish Israelis are able to ignore it. Yaël Mizrahi-Arnaud, a research fellow at an Israeli think tank, notes that Israelis have grown accustomed to this situation and are willing to accept the costs. Israel is able to maintain this status quo without much external assistance. In previous years, Israel relied on US-made warplanes and high-end military equipment, which needed approval from Congress and the White House. However, now they are using their own missile defense technology, showcasing their determination for self-sufficiency. It was hard to believe just five years ago that Israel would have an effective missile defense system, but with heavy US funding under President Barack Obama, they were able to achieve this at a relatively low cost. Israel began aiming for military independence in the 1990s due to strained relations with the George HW Bush administration and the belief that they could not always rely on US support. This belief has been reinforced by subsequent presidents, as their efforts to make peace with the Palestinians have clashed with Israeli desires to maintain control of the West Bank and blockade Gaza. This has led Israel to seek independent capabilities that are not vulnerable to US pressure, including independent intelligence gathering. Israel has managed to achieve this goal. Additionally, Israel no longer relies as heavily on US protection for protection from international isolation, as it now faces a more favorable international climate. Countries that used to oppose Israel as "Anti-imperialist" powers have shifted their focus. Although international opinions about Israel vary, especially in Muslim-majority regions where views are largely negative, Israel has managed to establish connections with parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Even neighboring Arab countries like Jordan and Egypt, former enemies, are now pursuing peace, and other Arab states have reduced hostilities. In recent years, Israel has normalized relations with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates through the Abraham Accords, facilitated by Trump. Additionally, Israel has also normalized relations with Morocco and reached a diplomatic agreement with Sudan. An Israeli political analyst and pollster, Dahlia Scheindlin, mentioned that there used to be discussions about an impending diplomatic crisis, but it never actually happened. She conducts an annual poll where Israelis rank their top national challenges, with security and the economy consistently being the most important. Currently, foreign relations rank very low on the list of priorities. European diplomats issue warnings that never materialize, while Democrats discuss the future of the alliance. However, Israelis believe their international standing is strong and have aimed for independence in diplomacy from the US. During the mid-2010s, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposed Obama's reelection due to his Middle East policies, causing strained relations. Netanyahu has since formed alliances with countries like Brazil, Hungary, and India, which do not criticize Israel's treatment of Palestinians but instead praise it. This strategy, dubbed the "other friends policy" by Scheindlin, has led Israelis to no longer view US approval as vital for their survival. Rising nationalism has led to a greater willingness to ignore international criticism, diminishing the importance of Washington's support for Israel's democratic credentials. Despite the traditional belief in Israel that one of the prime minister's top responsibilities is to maintain bipartisan support from the United States, Netanyahu's alignment with Republicans in the mid-2010s, including criticizing Obama in Congress, did not result in significant political consequences at home. Americans elected Trump, who was more supportive of Netanyahu than any previous president, instilling a sense of confidence in Israelis. They have learned that they can withstand some friction in relations. Since Biden's election, focus groups have shown that Israelis no longer worry about backlash from American politicians, as they see it as just a normal part of dealing with America. Many Israelis have lost interest in the peace process, viewing it as doomed and a low priority due to a status quo they find tolerable. This shift changes the nature of Israel's relationship with the US, as Israeli leaders no longer feel pressured to engage in the peace process to please Americans, but instead face increasing demands to defy them with policies like expanding settlements in the West Bank. Israel is not the first small state to try to gain independence from a powerful ally, but in this case, the Americans have aided Israel in achieving military and diplomatic autonomy, diminishing their own influence. After almost 50 years of not fully utilizing this leverage to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it may be disappearing, if it hasn't already. Mizrahi-Arnaud stated that Israel now believes they can act with impunity, pointing out the lack of recent pressure from the United States on Israel.