Book contents
- The Strained Alliance
- The Strained Alliance
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 First Encounters, 1989–1990
- 2 ‘Lay Aside, Once and for All, the Unrealistic Vision of a Greater Israel’
- 3 On the Brink of a New World, August 1990–1991
- 4 1991
- 5 The Bumpy Road to Madrid, 1991
- 6 1992
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Index
4 - 1991
1991: ‘Israel under Missile Attack’
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 October 2025
Book contents
- The Strained Alliance
- The Strained Alliance
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 First Encounters, 1989–1990
- 2 ‘Lay Aside, Once and for All, the Unrealistic Vision of a Greater Israel’
- 3 On the Brink of a New World, August 1990–1991
- 4 1991
- 5 The Bumpy Road to Madrid, 1991
- 6 1992
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
The 1991 Gulf War placed Israel in a unique strategic position as Iraqi missiles targeted its cities while the US urged it not to retaliate. Saddam Hussein’s goal was to fracture the US-led coalition, but Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir showed restraint at President Bush’s request. This chapter examines the US-Israel dynamic during the war, focusing on intelligence sharing, the deployment of Patriot missile batteries, and Israeli debates over military response. Despite US assurances to strike Iraqi launch sites, tensions persisted over arms sales to Arab states and Israel’s strategic concerns. The war also intensified political strain, particularly around US loan guarantees. While Israel sought help to absorb Soviet Jewish immigrants, the Bush administration tied financial support to a freeze on settlement expansion. These developments reflected broader shifts in US-Israel relations, where strategic alignment coexisted with policy disagreements. By analyzing these interactions, the chapter sheds light on how military threats, diplomacy, and aid negotiations shaped the relationship during and after the Gulf War.
Information
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Strained AllianceGeorge H. W. Bush, Yitzhak Shamir, and the US–Israel Special Relationship, pp. 142 - 172Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025
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