The first of a three-part series: America at 250
Two relationships have shaped America’s identity since its founding: one with Europe and the other with Jerusalem.
The former is a 400-year-old association that dates back to the physical origins of the population of the United States. The other is a 4,000-year-old, deeply rooted bond that dates back to the ideological essence of America: “One nation under God.”
The European relationship is based on obligation, akin to that of a healthy child caring for an ailing parent. America saved Europe three times in the 20th century: First, from internal threats Europe created itself, at the heavy price of more than 500,000 U.S. troops that died in World War I and World War II, and then from the external threat of the USSR. America continues to provide Europe with essential security, military and economic support to this day.
But Europe isn’t grateful. It never came to terms with the last century’s sudden shift of power to its “subsidiary” after centuries of European global domination. Thus, it continuously seeks creative ways to oppose the United States.
For example, it invented an artificial European power base: Legal might through instruments like the International Criminal Court to counter America’s military and economic might. Europe also identified a vector to target America via attacking Israel, including through ICC indictment test runs.
When I wrote a Newsweek article in 2020 arguing that Europeanism versus Americanism was shaping up to be our era’s defining philosophical divide, I got pushback in policy circles from people who argued that while there is an ideological chasm between the two countries—Europe is now about universalism, post-nationalism and anti-theism, while the United States is about particularity, nationalism and faith—it has no bearing on policy, since shared interests trump theoretical philosophical disagreements.
This has now changed. As America celebrates 250 years of independence, we are witnessing a dramatic U.S. policy shift away from a Europe-facing geopolitical posture, based on obligations, to an America First-based geopolitical posture, based on “model allies.”
The Iran war: The shift away from Europe
This is showcased by the war with Iran. Europe has refused America’s request for help in the war despite being attacked by Iran and acknowledging that a nuclear Iran is an imminent threat to Europe.
On the other hand, Israel, which was designated by the Trump administration as the “model ally,” was not only there, but has borne the primary human and social cost for the war. Its citizens abandoned their businesses, workplaces and farms to serve in the military; its population sustained a barrage of lethal missiles and attacks on seven fronts; and its soldiers died in combat against Iran’s proxy Hezbollah.
Moreover, unlike thankless Europe, Israelis continue to express their deep gratitude to the United States, U.S. President Donald Trump and the U.S. servicemen and women. Synagogue services have even been altered to add special prayers for the safety and success of America’s armed forces.
Trump has said that America does not really need European help in the Iran war. Rather, his request for assistance was a test of Europe’s loyalty. Europe not only failed the test but has been absent from the main events shaping the Middle East in 2026: The Iran war, the historic Israeli-Lebanon peace talks, the Abraham Accords and the Board of Peace.
De-Europeanization leads to peace
Paradoxically, Europe’s new “isolationism” creates an opportunity to advance peace.
My new book, From Survival to Peace, inaugurated at the 2026 JNS International Policy Summit in June, shows how Europe and its proxies have fueled the Israeli-Arab conflict and then imposed artificial Western “peace through appeasement” frameworks to perpetuate it.
Europe’s departure from the peace process would end a century of European dehumanization of Palestinians manifested through its exclusive focus on Palestinian national rights at the expense of Palestinian human rights. This reached a peak in the Gaza war, as Europe and its proxies in the United States and international organizations robbed Palestinians of the basic human right to flee a war zone. Europe needed them to stay in Gaza to promote the Western colonialist concept of the “two-state solution.”
The emancipation of the Middle East from Europe would open paths to true peace that are based on organic Middle East realities, under American leadership and principles like “peace through strength.”
This includes building a “California of the Middle East” on the Iraq-Jordan border. Emulating the success of America’s “Go West” movement that turned the United States into a superpower, a “Go East” movement could not only provide personal prosperity, but also stability to Middle Eastern regimes.
Europe’s complete departure from the Middle East could also preempt brewing wars elsewhere, as it would allow Europe to finally focus on the imminent threat to global stability emerging from Europe itself.
Once again, Europe created this threat itself: first by irresponsible immigration policies that altered the demographics of Europe; and second by Europe’s aggressive promotion of neo-Palestinian ideologies and its recognition of an imaginary state of Palestine. This had no impact in the Middle East but helped fuel the nascent European Muslim national movement.
As Trump stated and posted repeatedly: “Europe is a mess!”
As the United States celebrates 250 years of independence, it is taking measures to protect itself from this European “mess.” This was reflected in two landmark U.S. policy papers: The December 2025 National Security Strategy showcased the ideological threat to U.S. national security that is now coming from Europe and outlined measures to counter it. The January 2026 National Defense Strategy highlighted a shift in strategy from fulfilling legacy obligations to fostering reciprocal relationships that benefit the United States. In this context, the paper named Israel as a “model ally.”
But America’s journey from Europe to Zion is not just practical but ideological.
The shift from Europe to Zion
Europe of 2026 is the ideological mirror image of Europe during America’s first two centuries. Back then, Europe shared common values with the United States, including faith in God. Today, Europe promotes zealous anti-theism, creating a clear demarcation between Europeanism on the one hand, and Americanism and Zionism on the other.
Europe’s 180-degree swerve restructured the faith-based world: Just as Zionism, founded by Theodor Herzl as a return to Judaism, is now becoming the primary vehicle to preserve Judaism, Americanism has emerged as the dominant Western ideology that preserves Christianity.
Thus, Israel’s strength in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and throughout the land provides an ideological boost to the United States, established by its founding fathers as “New Zion”: a reference to Jerusalem.
At 250 years, as Europe is uprooting its past, America is deepening its ideological roots by coming home to Zion.
