For some American ex-pats, voting in the US elections seems futile: I won’t have to live with the consequences of the American elections, so why should I continue to vote?  That may be valid reasoning for American ex-pats in some countries but for American citizens living Israel, that simply isn’t the case.  Here’s a quick glance at the issues that the US president may influence and thus, have a direct effect on your life here in Israel:

Iran.  Everyone’s talking about sanctions vs. military intervention,  but what does it have to do with the US?  Whether or not Israel will attack Iran’s nuclear facilities remains to be seen and is a subject that is widely debated.  However, the current and future US president is heavily involved in the movement to put sanctions on Iran in order to attempt to put a stop to their alleged quest to develop nuclear weapons.  In the event that Israel doeschoose to take military action against Iran, it is likely that some sort of cooperation between the two countries will be required– be it financial or military intervention from the United States.  If you’re concerned about how Israel will handle the situation with Iran, there is no question that the next US president will influence the outcome of any diplomatic and/or military interventions.

The Establishment of a Palestinian State.  Will a Palestinian State be established?  If so, where will the borders be drawn? What will happen to Israeli settlements in the West Bank? To what extent will Israel be able to defend its new borders?  If these are all questions whose answers are important to you, it’s imperative to acknowledge the fact that the current and future US president, for better or for worse, have a large influence on the negotiations that take place.

Jerusalem.  Will Jerusalem be split into two entities, or will it remain the undivided capital of the Jewish State? Will Jews be able to build homes in East Jerusalem?  Similar to the negotiations and talks surrounding the issue of a Palestinian State, the American president is involved in these negotiations and arguably has a large amount of influence on Israel policies, given the close relationship between the two governments.

Defense Budget & the Economy. The US gives Israel millions of dollars in aid each year, much of which is at the discretion of the US president.  Whether or not Israel could maintain the status quo without this money is widely debated but the question really is– do we want to find out?

This is just a sampling of the issues that will likely be influenced by the next US president, and they all have a direct effect on our lives here in Israel.  For that reason, iVoteIsrael urges those of us who are concerned about Israel’s safety and security to vote in the upcoming US elections for the candidate that YOU think would make the best choices regarding Israel.  If you’re worried about whether or not your absentee vote will actually be counted, read this.  If you’re worried about the IRS, click here.

Even better, if you’re ready to register for your absentee ballot in 2 minutes or less, free of charge, go to iVoteIsrael and do it now!

Photo credit: Israel Defense Forces / Foter / CC BY-NC