University of Wisconsin students gathered Wednesday night to discuss the United States' longstanding relations with Israel and its implications on modern foreign policy.

The discussion, titled "Axis of Empire: Why the U.S. Supports Israel's Terror," was hosted by the International Socialist Organization's Madison branch. Generating debate about the U.S. motives for maintaining relations with Israel, the discussion peered into exactly what sparked the conflict between Israel and Lebanon this summer.

UW graduate student and ISO member Elizabeth Wrigley-Field said Progressives in America should try to get the government to stop funding Israel and to "stop pursuing its own military adventurism" in the Middle East.

The American government, according to Wrigley-Field, uses war as a means to protect big business in the United States.

"I think the U.S. wants to control the whole Middle East; that's what I think the Iraq war was about," she said. "The last thing the U.S. would ever want is real self-determination when people could make decisions about their lives, because what they would choose would never be U.S. companies taking their oil profits."

UW junior and president of the Madison-Israel Public Affairs Committee Rachel Adams said the United States' involvement in Iraq is unrelated to its relations with Israel.

The conflict in Iraq began only recently, Adams said, compared to the United States' alliance with Israel, which began approximately 50 years ago.

"They are the only democracy in the Middle East, and that is the basis for the U.S.-Israel relationship," Adams said. "Whereas the U.S.-Iraqi relationship is totally different, the histories are totally different."

Along with Israel having a hand in American foreign policy, the ISO also said the United States has a hand in Israeli policy.

UW sophomore Alex Frolkis said Israel was in a predicament during the military conflict with Lebanon this summer because Hezbollah integrates its military bases into southern Lebanon society so closely.

"They have the living room, the nursery and the rocket launcher in the garage," Frolkis said. "Israel went in, and yes, it bombed and destroyed houses, because they were housing rocket launchers as well."

Adams said she attended the discussion to try to understand why people in the ISO call Israeli actions "criminal" and think Israel is a terrorist state. While she said she gained an understanding, Adams added still holds the same beliefs she walked in with.

"I recognize that Israel is not always right," Adams said. "But in situations where they are attacked, and have no choice but to defend themselves — that is called 'criminal,' and there is something wrong with that."

Wrigley-Field said the ISO wants a region in the Middle East that would treat Jews and Arabs equally.

"People in Iraq should decide what their lives are like; Palestinians should decide what their lives are like," Wrigley-Field said. "And here in the United States we should decide what our lives are like."