The US gives Israel money but it's not like it's any substantial portion of their wealth. They make their money like any imperialist nation does. You're right about why Israelis and their Jewish and gentile supporters spend so much money on lobbying though. They're in a very precarious position that basically makes peace impossible.

I think we agree on most things but are interpreting things differently. The dialectic between imperial core and the periphery isn't as cut and dry, especially wrt countries like Israel. I think there is a desire to consider them a puppet of america, but I think it's more complicated than that.