Israel - I'm missing something

JimL mentioned in a reply to a previous post that with respect to Islam I need to "(b)ear in mind, they want ISRAEL dead too." Judging by the caps, it sounds like Israel is another third rail in our political system. I'm very curious about the geopolitical ramifications of Israel. What do I not understand about strategic importance of Israel (compared to say France or China?)

• I think it goes without saying that they are a huge net importer of American goods because we pretty much subsidize their existence, including the arms to occupy the West Bank.
• I don't know what, if any, their strategic exports are? Do they have any natural resources that are important to us?
• How valuable is Israel as a compliant democracy in the midst of tyranny?
• How much influence does AIPAC have in our government?
• Do they have huge investments in our economy compared to China or Japan?
• Is it the presence of the IDF and the Mossad that provide a strategic advantage?
• Is it that if we weren't there to protect Israel, given the large Jewish population of the US, they would be overrun by their neighbors and thus we protect them to prevent another Jewish genocide?
• Why are they not subject to the free market? We fund the IDF. Why can't they pay for their own defense?

(n.b. I'm aware that the British are ultimately behind the creation of Israel and two-facedly granted this land to the Jewish diaspora AND the Palestinians through the Balfour Declaration and other promises during the first half of the last century.)