Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that a future US president could be hostile towards Israel, calling for stronger alliances with countries including India and nations in Latin America to safeguard his country’s strategic interests.
Netanyahu made the remarks on Sunday while presenting his security doctrine, nine days before Israel’s October 27 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, raising questions about how the country should respond to a potential shift in Washington’s policy.
He said Israel should use the remaining years of Trump’s presidency to strengthen its position in the US while building relationships with other countries.
“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,” Netanyahu said.
He also pointed to political developments in Latin America, including a possible shift in Brazil, as an opportunity to widen Israel’s network of international partners. Netanyahu said Israel needed to expand its alliances and develop capabilities that would make it valuable to other countries.
Netanyahu has repeatedly cited India and his relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as evidence that Israel is not diplomatically isolated. In May, he described India as a major power with which Israel shared a “unique relationship”, highlighting what he characterised as strong public support for Israel in the country.
The Israeli prime minister’s remarks come amid concerns over changing political attitudes towards Israel in the US, particularly among Democrats. Analysts have linked the deterioration in relations with Democratic administrations, including those of Barack Obama and Joe Biden, to Netanyahu’s political and diplomatic choices.
Netanyahu has often portrayed his willingness to challenge US presidents as a demonstration of leadership and a commitment to protecting Israeli interests, a theme that has featured prominently in his election campaigns.
However, his main challenger, Gadi Eisenkot, sharply criticised the security doctrine, describing it as an attempt to influence voters rather than a substantive national security strategy.
“Nine days before the election and three years after the gravest failure and disaster in Israel’s history, with every war front still open, Netanyahu decided to present his ‘security doctrine’ to the public,” Eisenkot said.
The former Israel Defence Forces chief of staff accused Netanyahu of offering slogans instead of a credible strategy and of using fear to divert attention from criticism of his government.
Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, faces the election amid continuing security challenges and debate over his government’s handling of the country’s conflicts and international relations.