Hosted by Tomas Hult, this interview segment of the globalEDGE Business Beat focuses on the current relationship between Israel and the U.S.; an important relationship and spoke to the topic of the general election year in the U.S. for this interview from April 2016. Some would even say that these are turbulent times for the relationship, perhaps in part because of the lack of chemistry between the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the U.S. President, Barack Obama.

Ayalla Ruvio is the guest; she is an Assistant Professor of Marketing in the Eli Broad College of Business, at Michigan State University, and a native of Israel. Tomas and Ayalla discuss the importance of Israel to U.S. politicians in their quest to be elected; the outlook for Israel’s relationship with the Palestinians; and if it matters who the U.S. president is, for the relationships involving the U.S. and Israel, and Israel and the Palestinians.