From Congress to the Campuses: The Crisis Threatening Israel's Strategic Asset | Roni Hersh

Roni Hersh analyzes the results of the US midterm elections in a column for Ma'ariv and warns that the young American generation is distancing itself from Israel. He cites polls showing that for the first time, more Americans identify with the Palestinians, and calls for an urgent national mission to restore relations.

Roni Hersh analyzes the results of the US midterm elections and their implications for Israel in his column for Ma'ariv. He argues that the results should be a red flag for Jerusalem, because the younger generation in the US sees Israel completely differently. The article cites a Reuters-Ipsos poll showing that 48% of voters defined the cost of living as the most important issue, and 55% believed that the war with Iran is not worth its cost. A Gallup poll from February 2026 found that for the first time, more Americans identify with the Palestinians (41%) than with the Israelis (36%), and among 18-34 year olds the gap is 53% to 23%. Pew Research Center data from April 2026 shows that 75% of 18-29 year olds hold a negative view of Israel, including 64% of young Republicans. Hersh states that Israel is becoming a battered political brand in the eyes of the younger generation, and warns that the Israeli carte blanche is shrinking. He calls for an urgent national mission: to send excellent professionals to the US instead of embittered politicians, and to make restoring relations with the Democratic camp, academia, and the younger generation a strategic goal.