A stark political reality is driving Israel's current military strategies: unwavering American support is rapidly fracturing. According to Mona Charen, policy editor at The Bulwark, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recognizes this closing window and is racing to secure his nation's borders before U.S. backing completely evaporates.
Speaking on The Opinions, Charen outlined a growing "pincer movement" against Israel within U.S. politics. On the progressive left, a vocal faction increasingly dismisses the nation as an imperialist, settler-colonial project. Meanwhile, hostility is also brewing on the hard right. Influential voices like Tucker Carlson are reshaping the perspectives of younger Republicans, fostering a surge of anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiment.
Netanyahu is fully aware of this shifting landscape, Charen argues. Realizing that future U.S. administrations may no longer serve as reliable allies, the Israeli Prime Minister has seemingly calculated that he must achieve absolute regional security now, capitalizing on the current political climate while Donald Trump is in power.
"He seems to be saying, 'Yep, in the future, we’re not going to have the U.S. And so we’re going to go for everything right now...'" Charen explained.
This urgency translates into a sweeping offensive aimed at permanently neutralizing existential threats across the board—from Hamas and Hezbollah to Iran. By aggressively dismantling these adversaries today, Netanyahu hopes to forge a self-reliant Israel that no longer requires the good graces or protection of the American public.
Yet, this high-stakes gamble carries a paradoxical risk. As Israel escalates its military campaigns to prepare for a future without American support, the sheer intensity of those pre-emptive actions may ultimately accelerate the very diplomatic isolation Netanyahu fears.
