“Washington remains firmly in denial about the growing trend of extremism in Israeli politics and society — a reality that has both enabled and fueled it,” wrote Khaled Elgindy, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute.
“Even when they are not directly involved in policymaking, radical voices — whether in Israeli or U.S. politics — are still able to shape policy and policy discourse by shifting the political and diplomatic goal posts,” Elgindy added. “Issues that were a matter of bipartisan consensus during the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations, for instance — like ending Israel’s occupation and affirming the centrality of the 1967 lines as the basis for negotiations — are now seen by many as highly contentious or even beyond the pale.”