Ex-US envoy: Israel's US standing declining, Netanyahu 'not solution'

Dan Shapiro, who served as Washington's envoy to Israel between 2011 and 2017, said on Thursday that the Jewish state's standing in the United States is deteriorating at an unprecedented pace even among Republican voters, warning that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lacks the capacity to reverse the trend and suggesting that President Donald Trump might prefer negotiating with an alternative government in Jerusalem.

Speaking to Israel's Reshet Bet radio, Shapiro described the erosion of support as "unprecedented" across the American political spectrum. "It is difficult to see Netanyahu as part of the solution to this situation," he said, adding that Trump may conclude that working with a different Israeli administration would prove easier.

Electoral pressures

Successive US administrations have provided Israel with extensive military, financial, and diplomatic backing, including Security Council vetoes. Public opinion surveys have nevertheless shown mounting criticism of Israel's conduct during the war on Gaza, particularly among younger Americans.

Shapiro's remarks come less than one month before Israel's Oct. 27 general election, with recent polls showing Netanyahu's coalition falling short of the 61 seats required to form a government.

New York visit

Security warnings have prompted Netanyahu to curtail his upcoming New York visit to just a few hours on Thursday, eliminating any overnight stay. The Israeli leader will arrive Thursday morning, address the 81st UN General Assembly session, and depart later the same day, Channel 13 reported Wednesday.

The brief trip comes amid expectations of significant protests in New York over Israel's actions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday described Netanyahu as a "war criminal" and an "architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinians." Mamdani has urged federal authorities to enforce the International Criminal Court's November 2024 arrest warrant for the prime minister and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.