# What would Repubs do if Israel decided to fight climate change? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 30, 2015, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858 "2015-04-30T00:20:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/1 "2015-04-30T00:20:24Z")
(Wasn’t sure if this belonged in Politics, but since it’s pure flight of fancy, I put it here.) Suppose tomorrow, Israel’s government put out a statement something along the lines of, “As a coastal nation, we have come to the conclusion that fighting climate change is vital to the continued health and survival of the Israeli nation. Science and scientists have convinced us that it is real, and we will be putting in substantial effort to reverse the warming trend. We invite all allies of the Israeli people to join us in our efforts.” How would Republican/conservative lawmakers and pundits in this country react? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/2 "2015-04-30T01:02:16Z")
My guess: ignore it like they do every other domestic issue Israel’s leaders address. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/3 "2015-04-30T01:52:59Z")
I think they do, I found this article. > **[ADDRESS TO THE UN CLIMATE SUMMIT: Israel supports a new global agreement on...](https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/ADDRESS-TO-THE-UN-CLIMATE-SUMMIT-Israel-supports-a-new-global-agreement-on-climate-change-376234)** > > "I wish to take this opportunity and request the secretary-general to appoint a special envoy tasked with creating a new framework of all Middle Eastern countries for fighting climate change." > [@](#): > > At Copenhagen, Israel committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We remain committed today, as we prepare our recommendations for an ambitious post- 2020 reduction target. We will be an active partner, contributing to the transition to a low-carbon global economy. > > During recent years, Israel has invested major resources in advancing greenhouse gas reduction, with a focus on energy efficiency, based on our strong belief that electricity not generated is the cleanest and most cost efficient. Israel also has universal health care with heavy government involvement and humane prisons. So there is a lot for RWAs to dislike. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/4 "2015-04-30T01:55:19Z")
I halfway figured that. What I was interested in is what they’d do if Israel specifically tied climate change to their security, and did it openly enough to imply, or explicitly say, that friends of their country would help fight climate change. Perhaps they’d try to weasel out of not believing in that link, I dunno. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/5 "2015-04-30T03:00:40Z")
Keep in mind that a lot of Republicans are only pro-Israel because they believe its existence is a prerequisite for the return of Christ. They don’t really care what the specific policies of the Israeli government are so long as it continues to exist. Granted these days there’s ways in which US conservatives’ secular foreign policy goals align with Israel’s, but the Republican Party’s unconditional support of Israel is rooted in pandering to Evangelicals. Also consider that in the early days of US Evangelicals’ love affair with Israel, Israeli domestic politics were _very_ left-wing, sometimes veering into borderline Marxism. If that didn’t faze them I doubt a little environmentalist rhetoric is going to. Now, maybe if the Israeli government said, “as soon as the US cuts its carbon emissions by X amount we’ll get right on that whole building the Third Temple thing” that might get some results. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/6 "2015-04-30T03:10:59Z")
That is all very true. I guess the only way to force the issue would be for them to declare, “if you don’t do this, we don’t consider you a true friend of Israel,” and even then I would assume that conservatives would dismiss it, since their constituents aren’t generally over there. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/7 "2015-04-30T03:16:50Z")
I don’t think it would make much difference. To use another political issue as an example, Israel is generally pro-LGBT and pro-gay marriage, isn’t it? And that hasn’t made Republican support waver much, has it? ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/8 "2015-04-30T03:18:47Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > (Wasn’t sure if this belonged in Politics, but since it’s pure flight of fancy, I put it here.) > > Suppose tomorrow, Israel’s government put out a statement something along the lines of, “As a coastal nation, we have come to the conclusion that fighting climate change is vital to the continued health and survival of the Israeli nation. Science and scientists have convinced us that it is real, and we will be putting in substantial effort to reverse the warming trend. We invite all allies of the Israeli people to join us in our efforts.” > > How would Republican/conservative lawmakers and pundits in this country react? Only if you have a cartoonish view of Republican/conservatives blindly approving absolutely anything Israel does, would you even ask that question. Israel has quite a few very Socialist aspects. From welfare benefits to nationalized/state owned banks/companies to state ownership of most land. Those are policies that Republicans/conservatives may not embrace for the United States but definitely have no business approving or disapproving for other countries. And that would include the “global warming” related policies, whatever they may be. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/9 "2015-04-30T13:16:01Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > Keep in mind that a lot of Republicans are only pro-Israel because they believe its existence is a prerequisite for the return of Christ. … Quite right. And the rest of their support is based on a mix of two geo-political things: First is residual Cold-war clientele-ism, where the neighboring Arabs were largely Soviet clients and Israel was our client. We support Israel now because we always have. Second is simply modern anti-Islamism. In a simple us-them binary worldview, we have to choose either the Israelis or the Islamists. It’s pretty clear which one a rightist would prefer. Last of all is the simple fact that despite US Jews’ collectively being thought of as left of center, that’s mostly a phenomenon of the Jewish middle class. There are plenty of very wealthy Jewish folks who lean right, donate accordingly, and make support of Israel a precondition for those donations. Given how much louder money is than mere votes, we get the effect we see. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/10 "2015-04-30T13:45:41Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Israel has quite a few very Socialist aspects. From welfare benefits to nationalized/state owned banks/companies to state ownership of most land. Those are policies that Republicans/conservatives may not embrace for the United States but definitely have no business approving or disapproving for other countries. You imply that Republicans/conservatives have business approving or disapproving other Israeli policies. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/11 "2015-04-30T13:57:21Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > Now, maybe if the Israeli government said, “as soon as the US cuts its carbon emissions by X amount we’ll get right on that whole building the Third Temple thing” that might get some results. A great example of how the best jokes contain at least a kernel of truth!! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/12 "2015-04-30T14:07:29Z")
Greasy Jack: > [@](#): > > Now, maybe if the Israeli government said, “as soon as the US cuts its carbon emissions by X amount we’ll get right on that whole building the Third Temple thing” that might get some results. So, the US decreases its carbon emissions, and in response, Israel increases its [Korban](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korban) emissions? ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/13 "2015-04-30T14:16:39Z")
This thread is based on a lot of dubious assumptions about why Republicans support Israel. > **[Seven in 10 Americans Continue to View Israel Favorably](https://news.gallup.com/poll/181652/seven-americans-continue-view-israel-favorably.aspx)** > > Seventy percent of Americans view Israel favorably, in contrast with 17% viewing the Palestinian Authority favorably. Similarly, by 62% to 16% -- unchanged from 2014 -- more Americans sympathize with the Israelis than the Palestinians. The notion that a majority of Republicans support Israel because of millenialist reasons is simply not reality-based. If it was, Republican support ought to be reasonably constant in recent years - as religious opinions do not shift quickjly. In actual fact, Republican support has varied a lot, and tracks ME events pretty closely. > [@](#): > > A key reason Americans’ sympathy for Israel has solidified at a sizable majority level is that Republicans’ support for the Jewish state has increased considerably, rising from 53% in 2000 to more than 80% since 2014 – with just 7% choosing the Palestinian Authority. **A particularly large jump in GOP sympathy for Israel occurred in the first few years after 9/11 and at the start of the 2003 Iraq War.** [Emphaiss added] The implication is that the increase in support derives from ‘an enemy of our enemy’. Unless 2000 support derived almost solely from millenialism - a very dubious proposition - it seems very unlikely that millenialsim is a majority reason for overall support. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/14 "2015-04-30T14:39:42Z")
Republicans believe that Israel is infallible in foreign policy only. Part of it is anti-Muslim bigotry and a bit is the belief of some Christians that Israel must exist in order for the Rapture to occur. For social issues, Republicans are no more inclined to embrace Israeli policies than they are Swedish ones. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/15 "2015-04-30T15:59:15Z")
Israel has a _lot_ invested in —and researches a lot of — alternative energy tech; and has done for many decades. One reason being they have a lot more sun than oil. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/16 "2015-04-30T16:08:41Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Republicans believe that Israel is infallible in foreign policy only. Part of it is anti-Muslim bigotry and a bit is the belief of some Christians that Israel must exist in order for the Rapture to occur. For social issues, Republicans are no more inclined to embrace Israeli policies than they are Swedish ones. the “Rapture” LOL ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/17 "2015-04-30T16:48:08Z")
Oh brother, people are really tying themselves into knots here. I regard Israel as an ally, and would want to help them whenever they face military threats to their existence. It doesn’t follow that I’d let Israel call the tune on American domestic policies. I don’t believe ANY Republican, no matter how pro-Israel, would change his stance on any issue of importance based on the whims of Israel’s Prime Minister. Moreover, the extent to which Republican support for Israel is based on the book of Revelation has been ridiculously exaggerated. I can’t think of a single Republican who bases his foreign policy judgments on Apocalyptic prophecies. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/18 "2015-04-30T16:51:20Z")
Is Israel a leader in solar energy use? It has the right climate for solar power-how much do they generate? ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/19 "2015-04-30T17:08:22Z")
**[Wikipedia — Solar Power in Israel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_in_Israel)** And that’s only until recently, wiki being updated rather slowly. People seem to have little idea how Solar Power has exploded in the last 3 years. The Saudis have just **[begun](http://qz.com/386261/solar-power-will-soon-be-as-cheap-as-coal/)** a 200-megawatt plant in Dubai in the last few months to transition from oil. 90% of homes in Israel have a solar water heater developed by Harry Zvi Tabor started in the '70s, from that wiki article. ---
**Author:** ![jezzaOZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9a28c/32.png) [@jezzaOZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jezzaOZ)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858/20 "2015-04-30T17:25:57Z")
If Israel was true to form and fired with the typical religious zeal of modern climate alarmists, some awkward events would occur. Israel would bomb oil production facilities in the region, including in Europe. It would also bomb European coal and gas fire power stations, and destroy oil and gas pipelines from Russia. It would also massively expand its nuclear power generation capability ‘for peaceful purposes only’. However, America would be safe from Israeli attack, and probably self-sufficient so perhaps the Republicans wouldn’t worry too much? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-repubs-do-if-israel-decided-to-fight-climate-change/718858.md?page=2)