Sarah Palin's trip to Israel no laughing matter

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's trip to Israel this week was important for her, but it was even more important for Israel and its relationship with the United States.

A trip to Israel is a rite of passage for American politicians seeking higher office, and a parade of potential Republican presidential nominees has already made the trip. Governor Palin's supporters insist the trip improves credibility with evangelical Christians and Republican Jews. Detractors mock as odd the closed nature of the visit - there was very little press availability, and the non-pilgrimage to Bethlehem where her motorcade was turned around at the last minute is being used to highlight her lack of foreign policy credentials.

But this cacophony of political nonsense detracts from the importance of her visit for the relationship between the US and Israel: America remains Israel's strongest and most strategic ally.

However, that relationship cannot be taken for granted. Public opinion and political advantage has changed frequently in the United States since 2006. Given myriad new political challenges in the Middle East, US reliance on Middle Eastern oil, and the moves to dramatically reduce America's federal budget, the potential erosion of US support for Israel is very real and can cost the Jewish state financially, militarily, diplomatically and politically. Israel needs America to remain a proactive, strong and a reliable ally.