How Israel Lost America

By Shlomo Maital

      OK, I admit it – I’m a numbers guy.  Like, an economist who says the obvious in words and numbers that are incomprehensible.

      So, how about this.  A February Gallup Poll shows that only 46% of Americans sympathize more with Israel than Palestinians.  Among independents: 42%. Among Democrats:  21 per cent!     And this, after Hamas (who are also Palestinians) murder, rape and burn Israeli civilians, including babies.

      A decade ago, 62% of Americans sympathized more with Israel than with the Palestinians. 

      Ouch.  Israel lost America. 

       Correction:  Prime Minister Netanyahu did.

        Why?

      More numbers.  Netanyahu has been Prime Minister of Israel from March 31, 2009  to now,  March 8, 2025 (the date I am writing this) —  that is 5,821 days  — except for a short period, June 31 2021 – Dec. 29 2022,  564 days, less than two years, when “Yamina’ (Naftali Bennett) and “Yesh Atid” (Yair Lapid) formed the government. 

        Since March 31, 2009, Netanya has been in power for 90% of the time.  He has 90% of the blame for the disasters that befell Israel in that time – including the dramatic loss of support among Americans.   During that time, Hamas built its military forces and the network of tunnels.  On Netanyahu’s watch.

        OK, Trump likes Israel.  For now.

        To rehash an old Nixon saw:   Would you buy a used car from Trump?  Or a new car?   Greenland?   Canada?  Panama? 

             After the Yom Kippur War in October 1973,  Prime Minister Golda Meir accepted responsibility and resigned in six months.  The Agranat  State Judicial Investigatory Committee was formed and made sweeping recommendations. 

         Netanyahu doggedly blocks forming such a committee, knowing it will find him deeply complicit in the October 7 disaster.  He has acted in a manner that has alienated many Democratic voters — and when President Biden supported Bibi, he lost many of his Democratic voters. Perhaps enough to lose the 2024 election.

              Netanyahu got Israel Trump — and maybe, got America Trump.  But he lost Israel, Americans. And much of the world.

              For people who love freedom, democracy, justice, honesty, truth and humanity – a really really bad deal.