Why, WHY, does America so strongly support Isreal?

I am NOT trying to start a flame war, I just don’t understand. And I will readily admit that I am woefully undereducated about the history and politics of the entire region. But:

1. I concede that historically, Jews have been unfairly reviled and oppressed, which I also don’t understand and certainly don’t condone.
2. As an atheist, the whole “God promised us this land” is the stupidest excuse to invade and occupy a country that I’ve ever heard.
3. Every time a “conflict” flares up, hundreds of Palestinians are killed for every Israeli killed.
4. If my country were occupied, my home torn down or taken over by someone else, my olive orchards cut down, my water supply turned off or restricted, my access to my job restricted, my movements in my own country blocked by checkpoints, and I lived in poverty, hunger and endless oppression, I’d probably strap on a bomb and blow up as many people as I could too.

Why do we send such massive amounts of money and arms and support to Israel? I realize that this is a subject that people may feel very strongly about, but the whole thing is such a mess and it never seems to get better.