Americans withholding moral, political or financial support for Israel because they disapprove of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commit a misguided, even dangerous error. While Netanyahu is the architect of much of Israel’s political and economic character, and its longest-serving Prime Minister, it’s mistaken to blame him for many of Israel’s challenges and policies.

Fact is, Netanyahu has enjoyed support of a majority of Israelis for decades. Even if voters eject Netanyahu in next October’s elections, 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. When we examine these accusations, we see that 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 Gaza War when they invaded Israel on October 7, 2023 and massacred Israeli citizens. 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 daily 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 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. Senator 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.”

Fact is, neither Palestinians nor Israelis want two states. Over the decades, Palestinians have rejected every proposal to create a Palestinian state, they’ve steadfastly claimed ownership of all Israeli territory, and have continued terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians.

No wonder Israeli have become less supportive of a two-state solution. While ten years ago, polls showed 25%-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 U.S., critics accuse Netanyahu of poisoning Israel’s rapport with Democrats, first by speaking critically of Obama’s Iran policies in a Congressional address at Republicans’ invitation, and later, cozying up to Republican leaders, especially Donald Trump, while alienating the Biden Administration, Democratic legislators and American Jews.

Major decreases in Democratic Party support for Israel have created rifts between the two nations. Indeed, the Democrats have moved substantially leftward on Israel over the past decade. The Obama Administration’s failure to block a UN Security Council Resolution condemning Israel, withholding of arms to Israel by the Biden administration and the rise of far-left, anti-Zionist ideologues, such as Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar and Zohran Mamdani, have all contributed to this transformation.

At the same time, support by the Republican Party for Israel has remained staunch, and in some ways has even increased, particularly under the Trump Administration. In any case, Mr. Netanyahu cannot be blamed for rejecting support from Democrats—he has never done that— nor should he be blamed for cultivating any and all American supporters of the Jewish state.

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. President 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.

Israel’s judicial system lacks critical democratic mechanisms and needs reform. Americans take for granted strong democratic features of our judicial system—many absent in Israel. No wonder a majority of Israel‘s governing coalition supports adding more democratic elements to their justice system, not removing any. While Mr. 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 government, let’s remember that this government was democratically elected and has thus earned its political voice. Don’t forget either that these forces sit in the current government because Israel’s moderate parties refused to work with Netanyahu.

Blaming Netanyahu for Israel’s policies helps our enemies. Withholding support for democratic Israel because of Netanyahu’s leadership is simplistic and counterproductive. Any Jew, especially, who blames Israel for policies of Netanyahu falls into the anti-Zionist, antisemitic trap, lending support to enemies who feel vindicated when they can point to Jews rejecting the Jewish state.

Please make the point when speaking with family, friends, colleagues—or in letters to the editor—that blaming democratically elected Netanyahu for policies supported by millions (usually a majority) 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.

If you agree we need to spread this truth, please use your email browser to forward this Hotline issue to fellow lovers of Israel—and encourage them to join us by subscribing to the Hotline at no charge.

Best regards,
Jason Shvili, Contributing Editor
Facts and Logic About the Middle East (FLAME)

P.S. As you know, we at FLAME are constantly fighting to defeat our enemies’ slanders against Israel. But I hope you agree that it’s just as important for us lovers of Israel to spread the word about the amazing triumphs of Zionism. I believe that in addition to defending Israel from media and politicians’ lies, we need also to help the world understand Israel’s righteous cause and its power for good—we need as well to trumpet Israel’s miraculous achievements. God knows, Americans will never learn about Israel’s good deeds in mainstream media, like the New York Times, CNN or NPR! I believe we need to stand tall because of who the Jewish people are . . . be proud of what Israel does for the world. For this reason, I hope you’ll approve of FLAME’s new hasbarah—our explanatory message called “How Zionism’s Miracle Benefits Us All.” With your agreement and support, FLAME will soon begin running this message as a paid editorial ad in major mainstream newspapers nationwide. This ad tells the truth about Zionism’s unmatched power to create economic prosperity, global security, world health and democratic freedoms. It also explains why the enemies of Zionism are not just foes of Israel, they are also the enemies of human progress. Please review this convincing, fact-based editorial, which FLAME is about to publish to millions—in leading social media, as well as in the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronicle, Denver Post and Los Angeles Times. This piece will also be sent to all members of Congress, the President and Vice President. If you agree that this kind of public relations effort on Israel’s behalf is critical, I urge you to support us with a donation.