Israel Risks Losing US Alliance, Threatening Its Long-Term Survival
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Israel's crucial alliance with the United States is rapidly deteriorating due to policies enacted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, potentially posing an existential threat. Public opinion in the U.S. has shifted significantly against Israel, with a majority holding negative views by 2026. This erosion of support, particularly among American Jews, jeopardizes the decades-long bipartisan backing Israel has enjoyed. The author warns that without American support, Israel lacks a viable alternative for its security.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is actively damaging Israel's vital alliance with the United States.
- U.S. public opinion has turned sharply negative towards Israel, with 60% holding unfavorable views in 2026.
- Support for Israel among American Jews has declined, with only 37% identifying as Zionist in 2025.
- The current Israeli government's policies are making it difficult for American friends to defend Israel.
- The loss of U.S. support poses a severe, potentially existential threat to Israel's long-term security.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is "destroying" Israel's relationship with the United States, a crucial alliance that underpins the nation's long-term security, according to an analysis based on recent visits and meetings in the U.S. The author argues that Israel has grown accustomed to viewing existential threats solely through the lens of Iran, missiles, and terrorism, but a more severe danger may emerge from the erosion of American support.
Public and political support for Israel in the U.S. is rapidly declining across the political spectrum, affecting both Jewish and non-Jewish communities, Democrats and Republicans alike. Polls indicate a significant shift: a Pew Institute survey in spring 2026 found 60% of Americans held negative views of Israel, a sharp increase from 42% in 2022. Among Democrats, positive views of the Israeli government dropped to just 16% by May 2026.
While the conflict in Gaza is a factor, the decline in American public sympathy for Israel began around 2019, according to Gallup. By February 2026, more Americans identified with Palestinians (41%) than Israelis (36%), a stark reversal from previous decades where Israel held a significant advantage in public opinion. This shift is particularly pronounced among American Jews, who have historically been a key strategic asset for Israel.
A 2025 survey for the Jewish Federations of North America revealed that only 37% of U.S. Jews identify as Zionist, with a March 2026 Jewish Electorate Institute poll showing just 34%. While a majority still support Israel's right to exist, the erosion of Zionist identification, especially among Democratic Jews, is concerning. Many American Jews express deep concern that Israeli policies under Netanyahu are fueling antisemitism and hostility towards Israel.
The author contends that the current Israeli government, with figures like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich in key positions, coupled with settler violence, settlement expansion, actions in Gaza, and internal democratic struggles, presents an image that many long-time American friends find difficult to defend. Without the U.S., which provides unparalleled military, intelligence, diplomatic, and deterrent support, Israel lacks a true substitute, despite its regional military and technological strength.
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