US to Review Ties With Countries Deemed ‘Anti-Zionist’

US Special Envoy to Antisemitism Elan Carr announced on Sunday that the Trump Administration intends, as a method of combating antisemitism, to review and potentially revise diplomatic relations with any nations that are deemed anti-Israel or anti-Zionist.

Carr said nations found wanting in this way would face “frank and candid conversations behind closed doors” from US officials. Carr added that this is a continuation of the administration making a clear decision to equate anti-Zionism with antisemitism.

Historically, Zionism referred to supporting the establishment of a Jewish homeland within the historical holy land. Since this happened in 1948, Zionism has increasingly morphed to mean Israeli government policies in general, and a general policy of territorial expansion. Doing this while equating it to antisemitism has effectively broadened that term to include public opposition to the Israeli government’s policies. Unsurprisingly, Israel has been very keen to see this equation.

It’s not clear if this will mean anything in practice, as the nations that the US generally regards as anti-Israel are states like Saudi Arabia and the GCC, and the US is similarly eager to defer to them on foreign policy matters.