Opinion: The Cost of Loyalty — How Israel’s Espionage and Political Manipulation Harm U.S. Interests
By Melino Maka
Political & Economic Commentator, Pacific Region
In the post-9/11 era of global power shifts and shadow diplomacy, there’s one relationship that continues to escape scrutiny: the United States’ entanglement with Israel. For decades, the myth of an unbreakable U.S.-Israel “special relationship” has masked a troubling reality — one in which Israel leverages its considerable influence over U.S. politics, media, and security infrastructure not as an ally, but as a self-interested actor, often at the expense of American interests.
A growing number of former U.S. intelligence officers and defense officials — those who have sat behind the closed doors of national security — are sounding the alarm. Their testimonies expose a pattern of systematic espionage, coercive lobbying, and media manipulation by Israel that is not just harmful, but deeply dangerous.
Not a Friend, and Certainly Not an Ally
As former CIA officers have noted, Israel has repeatedly demonstrated that it acts not as a loyal ally, but as a strategic manipulator. It uses its deep reach into the U.S. Congress and media ecosystem to promote foreign policies that align with its own national agenda — even if those policies place American lives, resources, and global credibility at risk.
One of the most glaring examples of this is Israel’s push to provoke a U.S. confrontation with Iran. The 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal — painstakingly negotiated by the Obama administration to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons — was fiercely opposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu not only lobbied Congress directly but also humiliated the sitting U.S. President by addressing Congress without White House approval. His agenda? Push the U.S. into war with Iran. In fact, legislation introduced in Congress, under the weight of pro-Israel lobbying, has dangerously flirted with handing Israel the power to unilaterally drag the U.S. into war should it strike Iran.
This is not diplomacy. This is manipulation.
In the Pacific, a Misplaced Reverence
In this part of the world — and especially in Tonga — Israel is still viewed by many as the “People of God,” a perception rooted in Christian theology and reinforced by decades of religious teachings. But few among our devout Christian communities realize that behind this spiritual image lies a political machine powered by wealth and geopolitical calculation. Israel’s dark side is often hidden behind its biblical credentials. With vast financial resources, Israel has bought political influence across Western democracies, especially within the United States. Their money doesn’t just buy weapons — it buys lawmakers. And with those lawmakers, they buy narratives: who is evil, who is righteous, and whose wars are worth fighting.
It is time we in the Pacific wake up to the reality that our moral compass must not be for sale — and that faith must never be exploited to justify injustice.
When Friends Spy on You
The myth that allies don’t spy on each other is just that — a myth. Israel, according to U.S. government reports, has been one of the most aggressive perpetrators of espionage against the United States. The 2005 FBI report on Foreign Economic Collection bluntly states that Israel “has an active program to gather proprietary information within the United States,” including through computer intrusion, recruiting spies, and exploiting co-production projects with the Pentagon.
These aren’t baseless accusations — they are documented cases. Grant Smith has written extensively on how enriched uranium was stolen from a U.S. refinery and ended up in Israel’s nuclear weapons program. Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan, celebrated by the entertainment industry, arranged the illegal purchase of 800 nuclear triggers for Israel, a fact acknowledged but unpunished by U.S. authorities.
Why is there no accountability?
The Theft of American Innovation
The American taxpayer funds Israel with over $3 billion in annual military aid. In return, Israel reverse-engineers U.S. defense technology and sells it to global competitors — including adversaries like China. From missiles to avionics, U.S.-developed systems are repackaged and exported by Israel without consent. The Delilah cruise missile and the Python-3 air-to-air missile reportedly contain U.S. technologies. The Arrow anti-missile system appears to include components stolen from Patriot missile systems. Such theft not only undermines U.S. military advantage but also jeopardizes American jobs and innovation.
A 1996 Defense Investigative Service report even confirmed Israel’s use of Israeli nationals embedded in American defense industries to gather sensitive technology. The GAO later described Israel as conducting “the most aggressive espionage operation against the United States of any U.S. ally.”
And yet — the Justice Department consistently drops these cases under political pressure. Former FBI counterintelligence agent John Cole estimates at least 125 viable Israeli espionage cases were closed for this reason.
Manufactured Pretexts, Forgotten History
Israel’s willingness to stage provocations to manipulate American military decisions is not a conspiracy — it’s a matter of history. The Lavon Affair in 1954 saw Israeli agents bomb American-linked targets in Egypt, hoping to blame Arabs and fracture U.S.-Arab relations. In 1967, the USS Liberty — an American naval ship — was attacked by Israeli forces, killing 34 U.S. sailors and wounding 171. Despite Israeli claims of mistaken identity, many U.S. officials have long believed it was a deliberate false-flag operation to draw the U.S. into the Six-Day War.
What kind of ally kills your servicemen and is never held to account?
America Held Hostage by Its Own Myth
Why does Israel get away with this? Because it has weaponized guilt, patriotism, and political funding. The pro-Israel lobby in the United States — especially AIPAC — wields enormous influence. Members of Congress are cowed into silence or active complicity, fearing political retaliation or being branded antisemitic. Meanwhile, the mainstream media remains largely unwilling to engage in honest debate about the true nature of U.S.-Israel relations.
The result is a broken foreign policy — one where loyalty to a foreign power is placed above the interests of American citizens, soldiers, and global standing.
Conclusion: It’s Time for Accountability
An honest conversation about U.S.-Israel relations is long overdue. America’s relationship with Israel should be based on mutual respect, accountability, and clear national interest — not mythmaking, espionage, and manipulation.
In the Pacific, we must also reevaluate blind reverence. Faith should never excuse theft, lies, or manipulation. The people of God, if they truly are, must also be held to a higher moral standard — not shielded from accountability.
The United States must stop treating Israel as a sacred cow immune to scrutiny. It must investigate and prosecute espionage, reassess foreign aid, and reaffirm that no foreign nation — friend or foe — has the right to dictate U.S. policy through coercion, theft, or disinformation.
True friendship demands honesty. It’s time America — and the world — stops being used.
