Rahm Emanuel to criticize Netanyahu, says U.S.-Israel ties are 'at a crossroads'

Rahm Emanuel, a prominent figure in the Democratic Party and a long-time defender of Israel, is set to deliver a critical message in Tel Aviv this week, denouncing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and declaring the U.S.-Israel relationship is "at a crossroads."

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It cannot stand or survive as it has been. To maintain the strength of our ties, we need significant changes and a new direction.

Emanuel's remarks, obtained by The Associated Press, will state that the relationship "cannot stand or survive as it has been." He will argue that maintaining strong ties requires "significant changes and a new direction." In a pre-speech interview, Emanuel described Israel's military response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack as "reckless and careless in the treatment of Palestinian life," also criticizing the use of food and medicine as military tools.

The former U.S. ambassador to Japan and current U.S. envoy to the Bahamas also addressed the accusation of genocide leveled against Israel by some human rights organizations. While acknowledging the need for discussion, he cautioned against politicizing the term. Emanuel's proposals include imposing sanctions on Israelis who attack Palestinian civilians and property, as well as on companies and banks supporting Israeli settlements deemed illegal internationally.

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reckless and careless in the treatment of Palestinian life, not only the military campaign but using food and medicine as an instrument of your military goals.

Furthermore, he advocates for ending U.S. defense subsidies to Israel, arguing that the country should purchase American arms under the same terms as other allies. Emanuel places blame on Netanyahu for leading Israel to a "dead end," attributing this partly to poor decisions by American leaders. He criticizes the past U.S. policy of unconditional support, stating it has emboldened Netanyahu to disregard American concerns.

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For too long, American policy toward Israel operated under the assumption that the best thing Washington could do for Jerusalem was to blindly and silently stand behind your government, without conditions, without demands, and without consequences when we disagreed. That has been our mistake. Unconditional support has produced a prime minister who has presumed that his strategic interests would incur no cost if he ignored America's concerns.