The Democratic Party is distancing itself from Israel: Obama's legacy, ideological change, and the crisis of the historic alliance | Dr. Eitan Lesri
Dr. Eitan Lesri argues that the Democratic Party is distancing itself from Israel, following Obama's speech in Belfast, ideological and generational changes. The article warns against the adoption of a conditional stance toward Israel within the party's center, and calls for Israeli strategic steps to restore the alliance.
Dr. Eitan Lesri argues in an opinion article that the Democratic Party in the United States is distancing itself from Israel, a process that began during the Obama era and is intensifying due to ideological and generational changes. The article describes former President Barack Obama's speech in Belfast, in which he described the beginning of Zionist settlement as taking land from the Arabs disproportionately, and Israel's policy as relying too much on military force. According to Lesri, the danger is not only on the far left but in the fact that the party's center is adopting the assumption that relations with Israel are conditional on changing political standards. The article mentions New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as someone who acts against Israel. It calls on Israel to take strategic steps: restoring bipartisan support, evidence-based public diplomacy, and distinguishing between substantive criticism and delegitimization. The article notes that about three weeks before the midterm elections on November 3, 2026, polls show an advantage for Democrats in the House of Representatives.