Americans withholding moral, political or financial support for Israel because they disapprove of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commit a misguided, even dangerous error. While Netanyahu is the architect of much of Israel’s political and economic character, it’s mistaken to blame him for many of Israel’s challenges and policies.
Netanyahu has enjoyed support of a majority of Israelis for decades. Even if voters reject him in elections in October, Americans won’t likely see dramatic changes in Israel’s behavior because Israelis generally support many of Israel’s policies that chafe American politicians and the Jewish community.
American politicians—and American Jews—raise five major complaints about Netanyahu. Examining these accusations, the core issues involved are often too complex to attribute solely to Netanyahu, who represents the will of millions of Israelis.
1) Netanyahu conducted an “excessively destructive” war in Gaza.
In 2024, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, once a strongly pro-Israel Jewish Democrat, argued that Netanyahu “lost his way” and that Israeli policy was being driven by political considerations. In 2026, nearly half of House Democrats voted to restrict U.S. military assistance to Israel, often naming Netanyahu as the culprit. In truth, the devastation in Gaza is Hamas’s doing, not Netanyahu’s. Hamas started the war in the Gaza Strip when the terrorist organization invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 and massacred 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 others. If Hamas hadn’t started the war, there would be no destruction. Moreover, Israel took painstaking steps to prevent civilian casualties, while Hamas worked to increase civilian casualties, hiding behind civilian shields in schools, hospitals, mosques and playgrounds. Still, despite the destruction Hamas caused, they refused to surrender. Most importantly, throughout the wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, the Israeli public generally supported Netanyahu’s aggressive military strategies.
2) Netanyahu has prolonged the war to protect his political career.
American Jews, especially, were chagrined at the news reports of destruction and death in Gaza, which the media largely blamed on Israel. Likewise, Americans were demoralized by the long process of freeing Israeli hostages. Many believed that Netanyahu was prolonging the war to ensure his political survival. Netanyahu’s government was elected by a majority of Israelis. Those who opposed his rule were most accusatory of his “selfish” political motives. Unlike some Americans, a 2025 survey showed the majority of Jewish Israelis did not believe that Netanyahu’s decision to keep fighting in Gaza was due primarily to political considerations. Americans living in the safety of the United States likely cannot appreciate Israelis’—and Netanyahu’s—determination to destroy their murderous enemies.
3) Netanyahu is obstructing a two-state solution.
Both Democrat politicians and party members¸ including most American Jews, still advocate a two-state solution. Schumer named Netanyahu as one of four “major obstacles” to achieving two states for having “too frequently bowed to the demands of extremists … and settlers in the West Bank.” Over the decades, Palestinians have rejected every proposal to create a Palestinian state, steadfastly claimed ownership of all Israeli territory and have continued terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians. No wonder Israelis have become less supportive of a two-state solution. While 10 years ago, polls showed 25% to 40% of Israelis supported two states, today fewer than 30% favor a Palestinian state on their borders. Blaming Netanyahu for the failure of a two-state solution clearly misreads both Palestinian and Israeli wishes.
4) Netanyahu has harmed Israel’s bipartisan relationship with Americans, especially American Jews.
While for decades Israel has enjoyed broad bipartisan support in the United States, critics accuse Netanyahu of poisoning Israel’s rapport with Democrats—first by speaking critically of Obama’s Iran policies in a congressional address at the invitation of Republicans, and later, cozying up to Republican leaders, especially Donald Trump, while alienating the Biden administration, Democratic legislators and American Jews. Indeed, the Democrats have moved substantially leftward on Israel over the past decade. The Obama administration’s failure to block a U.N. Security Council Resolution condemning Israel; the withholding of arms to Israel by the Biden administration; and the rise of far-left, anti-Zionist ideologues such as Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani all contributed to this transformation. At the same time, support by the Republican Party for Israel has remained staunch, and in some ways even increased, particularly under the Trump administration.
5) Netanyahu endangers Israel’s democracy and supports Israel’s far-right.
The American left chafed at Netanyahu’s backing of Israel’s judicial reform movement and his support of demands by right-wing religious nationalists. Former President Joe Biden warned Netanyahu that erosion of political “checks and balances” threatened the U.S.-Israel relationship, and even the American Jewish Committee voiced “profound disappointment” with judicial reform proposals. Americans take for granted the strong democratic features of their judicial system, many of which are absent in Israel. It’s no wonder that a majority of Israel’s governing coalition supports adding more democratic elements to their justice system, not removing any. While Netanyahu supports Israel’s judicial reform movement, he is joined by a broad, vocal segment of the Israeli public. As for the Israeli right wing in Netanyahu’s coalition, let’s remember that this government was democratically elected.
Withholding support for democratic Israel because of Netanyahu’s leadership is simplistic and counterproductive. Those who blame Israel for the policies of Netanyahu fall into the anti-Zionist, antisemitic trap, lending support to enemies who then feel vindicated when they can point to Jews rejecting the Jewish state.
Blaming democratically elected Netanyahu for policies supported by millions of Israelis is illogical, unfair and dangerous. Conversely, supporting Israel doesn’t mean endorsing Netanyahu. It simply means backing the Jewish people’s right to self-determination and security.
Originally published on Facts and Logic About the Middle East (FLAME).
