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>Why does Israel have such a privileged status with respect to other nations? If it were any other country, US news organizations and politicians would be up in arms about a foreign government directly manipulating US public opinion. But this one country is special. Why?

Religion, mostly. Despite its secular and liberal pretenses, the US and in particular the US government is deeply influenced by Conservative and Evangelical Christian interests, among which support for Israel is seen as a necessity to bring about the apocalypse and second coming of Jesus. Many Americans see themselves and their nation as metaphysically blessed, founded by and given a destiny by God, and see Israel with a similar metaphysical lens. Therefore, Israel can never been seen as merely a state. Everything it does is entangled in America's own sense of cosmic self-importance and destiny.

Also, Israel is good money for the American military industrial complex. Setting aside the many Americans who ultimately believe a global war allied with Israel against the Islamic world is inevitable (as per their interpretation of the Book of Revelations) and their influence on American foreign policy, the mere presence of Israel as an ally creates enough chaos and discontent to fund America's war racket in that part of the world indefinitely.

>Isn't this eroding free speech in the US? How is it constitutional that saying something about the politics of a foreign government could lead to increased prison sentences for US citizens?

It's particularly weird when you consider that antisemitism and racism are often given a full-throated defense by Americans in the name of freedom of speech, a nation that proudly declares the Klan can march in the streets and Mein Kampf can be bought in bookstores, but public opposition to the policies of the state of Israel - opposition by a public which includes many Jews - results in the swiftest and most pervasive crackdown on free speech that I've seen in my lifetime. Or at the very least since right after 9/11.

>Despite its secular and liberal pretenses, the US and in particular the US government is deeply influenced by Conservative and Evangelical Christian interests

Okay so I buy this premise for sure, but what about the other part of the political spectrum? Why aren’t CNN, MSNBC, ABC etc covering this? And why aren’t liberal politicians up in arms about it?

Conservatives are only half of the spectrum and I understand their religious motivation, but the other half also seems to be extremely pro-Israel. All except maybe that one senator from Minnesota seem fully in agreement with the conservatives on the issue.

That's the entire spectrum, as far as government is concerned. I think it's a mistake to assume the left is any less religious (or willing to pander to religion) than the right, or less invested in American imperialism or the military industrial complex. Both sides have to cater to the same systemic interests to maintain power, after all. Our current Democratic President is pro military, pro cop, pro-establishment and staunchly pro Israel, thus so is his party. Most of where the parties differ (or claim to differ) are social issues that don't really threaten the status quo.

We all live in our bubbles and I can't speak to what the mainstream media is doing because I don't really interact with it. On the other hand I see plenty of leftists online who are staunchly anti-Israel, for whatever that's worth.

But speaking of the American left, there seems to be a deep seated fear of being seen as anti-Semitic that causes a lot of people to hold off on expressing themselves, when they don't have the internet between themselves and social consequence. Unfortunately, criticism of Israel does tend to overlap with anti-Semitism so many people simply may not want to take the risk.

It's a good question for Americans: what do you think would be happening if Israeli tactics to influence the USA would be coming from China? Or even the UK, an ally?

Would there be politicians changing laws, flags of these countries being displayed around major cities, etc.?

>Why? How? Wuh?

Uh oh, someone's trying to think! You know why. We all know why. But stating it out loud makes you a bad man.

Better to just nod along and pretend it's all OK, especially at work, especially if you're not posting anonymously. And remember to be extra furious at Russia in your comments when someone reminds us that Russia spent 100k in "both sides" Facebook ads in 2015 (an act of foreign interference so ignominous, MSM ink will never stop spilling ink about it). It's what's expected of all of us.