A Conversation with Avi Abelow: Israel is on the Front Lines Defending the West

The anti-Israel Left is working relentlessly to defame the Jewish state, foment anti-Semitism, and legitimize our jihadist enemies; —to preserve its integrity, the West must stand with Israel

Avi Abelow is the host of The Pulse of Israel daily video podcast and the CEO of the 12Tribe Films Foundation, which produces media and educational content highlighting Israel’s biblical, historical, legal, and strategic importance to the Jewish people and the world. He works to strengthen Jewish identity and inspire unwavering support around the world for the Jewish state.

Why this conversation matters: The definitive struggle of our day is that of the U.S. and Israel against Iran, its proxies, and its formidable allies in the background: China, Russia, and North Korea. A bold profession of Israel’s right to thrive in peace with its neighbors is key to restoring a pro-Western domestic consensus, and to defending the West against its enemies abroad.

RtW: Why do you believe that defending Israel should be the most urgent priority of those who wish to restore Western civilization?

Avi Abelow: Israel stands at the front line of a spiritual and civilizational war. On one side, progressive elites seek to erase God, dismantle the biblical values upon which the freedom-loving world was established, and undermine faith, family, and national identity. On the other, jihadi Islam seeks to subjugate humanity under sharia law. Though different in their goals, they work together to undermine the moral foundations upon which Western civilization was built. Israel is confronting both forces successfully. Defending Israel is therefore not merely about protecting one nation; it is about preserving the spiritual, moral, and civilizational foundations essential to the future of the free world.

RtW: There are many voices in the U.S., and many more in Europe, that call for the U.S. to disengage from Israel. What would be the consequences—for Israel and for the U.S.—if that should happen?

Avi Abelow: Disengagement would certainly be painful, but Israel would survive. We know that Jewish sovereignty cannot depend entirely on any foreign power, and Israel is already diversifying its diplomatic, economic, technological, and defense relationships across the globe.

America and Europe, however, would ultimately suffer far more. Abandoning Israel would embolden the Sunni and Shia jihadi movements, and every hostile regime watching whether the West stands by its allies. It would destroy Western credibility, weaken intelligence and security cooperation, and distance the United States from one of its most capable and battle-tested partners.

The deeper consequence would be moral and spiritual. Israel stands on the front line against forces that seek to dismantle the biblical foundations of Western civilization. If America and Europe turn against Israel, they are not merely abandoning the Jewish state. They are abandoning their own values, their own interests, and ultimately their own future.

RtW: You are a strong advocate of complete Israeli sovereignty in Gaza and Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), and of expanding Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria. Do you believe Israeli sovereignty and expanding settlements would be in the interest of Arab Palestinians? More generally, what does the future hold for Arabs in Judea and Samaria and Gaza?

Avi Abelow: I believe Israeli sovereignty in Gaza, Judea, and Samaria is the only realistic path to lasting peace and security. The Jewish state of Israel is the only country in the Middle East where Arab Muslims enjoy the same civil liberties, economic opportunity, and religious freedom as all others. The future is bright for every Arab Muslim in Gaza, Judea, and Samaria who genuinely wants to live in peace with the Jewish state of Israel, just as nearly two million Arab Muslim Israeli citizens do today. But those committed to jihad, terror, and the destruction of their host countries cannot remain. The deportation of such jihadis is essential. It is the only sustainable path for Israel, and all Western nations, to preserve their security, sovereignty, and civilization.

“Israel stands on the front line against forces that seek to dismantle the biblical foundations of Western civilization. If America and Europe abandon Israel, they would abandon their own values, their own interests, and ultimately their own future.”

RtW: Regarding Israeli domestic politics, : Yyou have written that the Israeli Left is “normalizing national self-destruction.” Could you explain? Do you foresee a solution to that problem?

Avi Abelow: The Israeli Left questions the legitimacy of Jewish sovereignty, constantly tries to appease our enemies with talks and land giveaways, and believes Israel should dilute its Jewish identity to gain international acceptance. Yet more and more Israelis, religious and secular, are strengthening their Jewish identity, deepening their faith in God, and becoming more patriotic, especially since October 7.

That is why this small but influential group of progressive elites, having repeatedly lost at the ballot box, seeks to shape public discourse and limit the growing power of Israel’s Jewish majority. This is the battle behind nearly every political crisis and media scandal in Israel: whether Israel embraces its unique Jewish destiny or becomes just another progressive Western state.

Nevertheless, as Israelis reconnect with our indigenous connection to this land, and our biblical mission to be a light unto the nations from God’s Holy Land, the Jewish future is winning.

RtW: In your view, what would a true and lasting peace in the Middle East look like?

Avi Abelow: True and lasting peace will come when the Middle East accepts one simple reality: the Jewish people are back as sovereign in their God-given, indigenous, ancestral homeland. The State of Israel is here to stay. Peace will not come through more concessions to jihadi entities or artificial diplomatic formulas, but through the decisive defeat of jihadist ideologies that seek Israel’s destruction. Israel must exercise full sovereignty over its ancestral homeland while guaranteeing freedom, dignity, and opportunity to all loyal residents. Arab Muslims who choose peaceful coexistence can thrive, just as millions already do in Israel today.

THE BOTTOM LINE

As Avi Abelow affirms, Israel will endure even if Western resolve weakens. It has no alternative but to continue the fight. The greater question is the West’s durability. If Westerners abandon Israel, they will empower progressive movements that reject the West’s civilizational foundations and the jihadis that seek the West’s annihiliation. Strong support for Israel is central to sustaining the West.