Ousting Netanyahu Won't Fix the U.S.-Israel Relationship
September 7, 2026 — The following article by NJN President and CEO Hadar Susskind was published in Haaretz.
There is a comforting idea circulating in the Jewish community and in Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu will soon lose power, a new Israeli government will take office, and the U.S.-Israel relationship will begin to heal.
Netanyahu has indeed done extraordinary damage to Israel's relationship with American Jews and with our elected officials. He has made Israel deeply identified with one American political faction, while alienating much of the other. He is the face of heartless and belligerent policies – those that flattened much of Gaza, denied Palestinians food and other basic necessities, and helped bring us the Iran War.
A different Israeli prime minister could certainly help signal that Israel is turning the page. But it would be a mistake to think that replacing Netanyahu is enough. The real problem is that Israel's conduct under Netanyahu's leadership has been at odds with the values that Americans hold dear – and Americans are noticing.
