Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday warned that a future US President could be hostile towards Israel, calling for the country to strengthen its alliances with India and other nations to prepare for a possible shift in American policy.
Netanyahu made the remarks while presenting his security doctrine, nine days before Israel’s 27 October election. His comments came hours before US President Donald Trump publicly endorsed his re-election bid.
“In two years, a President, man or woman, could come to power who is very hostile to Israel,” Netanyahu said. “How would you deal with that? How would you operate in relation to the United States? And beyond that, what solutions would be necessary?”
He said Israel should use the remaining years of Trump’s presidency to strengthen its position while preparing for a possible change in Washington’s approach.
“First, we must do everything we can during these two years, and during the following two years, in the American arena, through good times and bad,” he said.
Netanyahu said Israel needed to broaden its network of international partners rather than rely heavily on its relationship with the US. “The second thing is to create other alliances. That is what I am working on now with many countries in our region and outside it. India is not a small country, and there are many others,” he said.
He also pointed to political developments in Latin America as an opportunity to strengthen Israel’s diplomatic relationships.
“There is a major shift in Latin America, and there could be an enormous change in Brazil in just a few days,” he said. “We must expand our pool of alliances and develop capabilities that make us valuable to everyone.”
Netanyahu has frequently highlighted Israel’s relationship with India and his ties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as evidence that the country is not isolated internationally.
In May, amid Israel’s prolonged war and mounting criticism of its actions, Netanyahu described India as a “huge power” with which Israel had a “unique relationship”. He also said there was “crazy love” for Israel in India.
Netanyahu’s remarks come amid concerns in Israel over growing indifference towards the country among Democrats in the US.
Many Israeli analysts believe that trend is partly the result of decisions made by Netanyahu over the years. His relationships with Democratic Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden were frequently strained.
According to the analysts, Netanyahu presented those disagreements to his supporters as evidence that he was prepared to stand up to US Presidents to defend Israel’s interests. They said the approach had been a central feature of his election campaigns and political success.
Netanyahu is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister.
