For more than a decade, Donald Trump has been an exceedingly valuable political asset for Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump’s level of popular support among Israelis had consistently remained at stratospheric levels, and both men recognized the mutual benefit of highlighting their symbiotic relationship for Israeli voters.
But that was a long time ago, before they convinced each other to go to war with Iran. Netanyahu is now fighting for his political life, as former IDF leader Gadi Eisenkot strengthens his hold on the centrist “anti-Bibi” vote in advance of the upcoming October elections. Trump has fallen even further in the eyes of Israeli voters, as recent polls show a dramatic drop in support for the American president in the Jewish state. Sizable majorities no longer believe that Trump is concerned about Israel’s security, and believe he only supports Israel when it serves his own interest. Given the international and domestic pressure that Trump is facing not to resume heightened military activity against Iran, those poll numbers are unlikely to change anytime soon.
For the first time in more than a decade, Netanyahu no longer has his reliable American life preserver to keep him afloat in these dangerous waters. But in the nick of time, it appears he may have found another political ally in our country to boost his fortunes when he most needs the assistance. This time, however, that surrogate is not helping Netanyahu on purpose.
Zohran Mamdani, who ran for mayor of New York last year on a virulently anti-Zionist platform, has greatly escalated his attacks on the Israeli prime minister in recent weeks, renewing his call for Netanyahu’s arrest should the Israeli prime minister travel to the city for next month’s United Nations General Assembly meeting. (Mamdani awkwardly admitted that he lacked the authority to fulfill his campaign promise to apprehend Netanyahu himself, but then challenged the Trump administration to do so instead.)
The episode gave Mamdani the opportunity to revisit his ongoing invective against Israel, repeating his past denigration of the country’s response to the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks as “atrocities” and “genocide.” In a heavily Democratic city where Netanyahu’s approval ratings are extremely low, Mamdani’s theatrics allowed him to shore up his support among anti-Israel progressives, who have been unhappy with his lack of progress on local budget, transit and safety issues.
But Mamdani may have helped Netanyahu even more. The Israeli leader quickly vowed to come to New York in September, promising to “speak the truth in front of this … hate-spewing elected official who’s pitting one group of New Yorkers against the others.”
Netanyahu accused Mamdani of turning his supporters “against New York Jews,” comparing the environment the mayor was creating to that of 1930s Germany. By explicitly linking Mamdani’s efforts to rising levels of antisemitism, Netanyahu was able to frame himself as a defender of Israel against growing international hostility. Israelis may be divided over settlements, military conscription and other aspects of Netanyahu’s leadership, but they understand at a much deeper, more fundamental level that their survival depends on their ability to stay unified against external danger.
Throughout his career, Netanyahu has repeatedly and masterfully presented himself as Israel’s defender against all manner of international threats. He won his first election in the aftermath of the wave of Palestinian suicide bombings in the mid-1990s. He returned to the prime minister’s office in 2009 in reaction to the second Lebanon war. Since then, he has regularly warned of the prospect of Iran’s potential nuclear capability and more recently of the ongoing terrorism menace from Hamas and other Iranian terrorist clients.
Mamdani’s slurs do not suggest that that Israel is experiencing military vulnerability but rather a more existential and omnipresent emotional challenge that the country and its people have faced for their entire existence. But the mayor provides an equally effective reminder about why Israel needs a strong and vigilant leader as its prime minister. If Netanyahu is able to win reelection in October, he may end up thanking the New York mayor for highlighting that need at an extremely helpful time.
Dan Schnur is the U.S. Politics Editor for the Jewish Journal. He teaches courses in politics, communications, and leadership at UC Berkeley, USC and Pepperdine. He hosts the monthly webinar “The Dan Schnur Political Report” for the Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall. Follow Dan’s work at www.danschnurpolitics.com
