And it's the cork on land migration out of Africa into West Asia and eventually Europe.

And it's strategically important for the Red Sea trade route connecting Asia to the Mediterranean (although they're having a little trouble with this one lol)

And it's the laboratory for surveillance and detainment and border walls, where they can live test technology and strategies that get exported to prisons and borders and cities around the West.

And it's a place for antisemitic governments to send all their Jewish citizens.

And, of course, there's a large apocalyptic cult of Christians that believe we need to immanentize the eschaton so Jesus can return.

Israel serves so many functions!