Netanyahu eyes India ties as hedge against hostile future US president

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that a future US president could be hostile towards Israel and called for stronger alliances with countries such as India and those in Latin America, news agency Press Trust of India reported.

Netanyahu made the remarks while presenting his security doctrine nine days before Israel's October 27 election. His comments came hours before US President Donald Trump publicly backed his re-election bid.

“In two years, a President, man or woman, could come to power who is very hostile to Israel,” Netanyahu said. “How would you deal with that? How would you operate in relation to the United States? And beyond that, what solutions would be necessary?”

He said Israel must use the remaining years of Trump's presidency to strengthen its position while preparing for a potentially major shift in US policy.

“First, we must do everything we can during these two years, and during the following two years, in the American arena, through good times and bad,” he said.

Netanyahu also stressed the need to build ties with more 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,” he said.

He pointed to political developments in Latin America as another opportunity for Israel to expand its network of allies. “There is a major shift in Latin America, and there could be an enormous change in Brazil in just a few days,” he said. “We must expand our pool of alliances and develop capabilities that make us valuable to everyone.”

Netanyahu has often referred to India and his relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to argue that Israel is not isolated globally and to highlight his government's diplomatic record.

In May, amid a prolonged war and criticism of Israel, Netanyahu said the country had a “unique relationship” with “huge power” India, where there was “crazy love” for Israel, according to PTI.

Many Israeli analysts believe that growing indifference towards Israel among Democrats in the US is the result of choices Netanyahu made over the years. His ties with Democratic presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden were often tense. Netanyahu portrayed those differences to his supporters as proof that he was willing to stand up to US presidents to protect Israel's interests, the analysts said.

They said this approach had been central to Netanyahu's election campaigns and electoral success. He is Israel's longest-serving prime minister.

Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu's main challenger in the election, criticised the presentation as an empty political exercise rather than a serious 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.

“Two hollow pages, full of slogans that have nothing whatsoever to do with a security doctrine, reveal more than anything the strategic vacuum Netanyahu has left the State of Israel in and his disregard for the security of Israeli citizens,” he said.

Eisenkot, a former chief of staff of the Israel Defence Forces, accused Netanyahu of trying to manipulate public opinion and spread fear before the election.

“This is Netanyahu's method: manipulating perceptions, frightening people and trying to divert attention from the parade of lies and racism surrounding his campaign tonight,” Eisenkot said, according to PTI.

Netanyahu's presentation centred on preparing Israel for a possible change in US policy by strengthening its position and expanding alliances with countries including India, while Eisenkot dismissed the plan as election-time rhetoric rather than a substantive security doctrine.

With PTI Inputs

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