After the elections, Israel must repair the damage Netanyahu did to its US alliance - opinion

Israel's international standing has reached a low point in much of the developed world, including the United States, as the country approaches pivotal elections. A new government must prioritize repairing the damage inflicted on its global relationships, a task necessitated by a deficit in strategic thinking despite numerous tactical successes.

The nation has achieved significant military victories, dismantling Hamas as a fighting force and securing gains against Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran. Syria, once an adversary, is now less of a military threat and open to normalization. Lebanon, a former base for Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, now has a government interested in relations with Israel and potentially curbing Hezbollah's influence.

These successes were underpinned by Israeli ingenuity and unwavering American support. However, over the past three years, American public opinion and the historical bipartisan consensus supporting Israel as a crucial ally have substantially weakened. The Netanyahu government is criticized for failing to grasp that "war is the continuation of politics by other means," neglecting to translate battlefield achievements into effective statecraft.

Specific instances highlight this strategic misstep. Reports suggest Netanyahu could have secured a hostage release deal earlier but was ultimately compelled to accept terms that cost lives. He also hesitated to engage with the Lebanese government's overtures for normalization and disarming Hezbollah after a 2024 ceasefire. Furthermore, he delayed allowing a Palestinian technocratic government to manage Gaza's civil infrastructure post-ceasefire, a decision driven by internal political considerations.

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war is the continuation of politics by other means