American society, like Israeli society, is undergoing an extreme process of political polarization. The murder of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk is the latest in a series of recent violent political acts. This includes the assassination of Minnesota’s Democratic House speaker and her husband, the murders of two Israeli embassy staff in Washington, DC, the attack on a hostage vigil in Colorado, and, of course, the deadly insurrection on January 6, 2021.
Thus far, it appears that the Trump administration’s approach is to intensify the situation. The president has appeared to be laying the groundwork not for healing or introspection, but for retribution against political opponents and the “radical Left.”
The vice president has promised a major crackdown on political opponents in response, including going after civil society groups completely unrelated to what appears to be a lone wolf attack.
Right-wing politicization of issues
The rush to politicize the attack is not limited to the United States. Before the suspect was confirmed, some in Israel attributed it to calls to “globalize the Intifada.” On the Israeli Right, supporters mourned Kirk as “pro-Israel,” while many American Jews have more complicated feelings due to his criticism of “rich Jews,” whom he accused of funding the “quasi-Marxist policies.”
In the American far-Right, where antisemitism runs deep, many MAGA supporters see Jews as foreign interlopers. These days, many of them fuel the false conspiracy about Israel’s involvement in Kirk’s murder. Evangelicals back Israel only as a step toward Armageddon – a path Netanyahu’s government in its own way seems to be accelerating.
Others see Israel as a proud 21st-century ethnostate, something upon which to model their vision of America as a white nationalist Christian nation. Are these solid foundations on which to hang an alliance?
Other MAGA supporters no longer conceal their animosity toward Israel. Tucker Carlson recently featured a researcher on his show who claimed the Nazis murdered Jews as a “humanitarian gesture” after warning there wasn’t enough food in the camps.
Far-Right Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene – or the ideologue of Trumpism himself, Steve Bannon – are both mixing harsh criticism of Israel and the US-Israel relationship with antisemitic conspiracies. If Netanyahu’s government loses favor with Trump, a few words from the president could be enough to unleash the antisemitic demons that reside within many of his supporters.
Netanyahu alienated the true allies
As Israelis, we must not mistake flattering words for genuine friendship. True allies are those whose support is grounded in real respect for the liberal Zionist project – even when it comes with tough criticism. In the past, Israel had strong support in both US parties. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bet everything on the Republicans and turned his back on the Democratic mainstream.
He has insulted leaders like Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Charles Schumer, who’ve made clear that their criticism is directed not at Israel itself, but at its leadership.
Traditional pro-Israel voices have largely vanished from today’s Republican Party; some, like Liz Cheney, have even been pushed out. By contrast, the Democratic Party remains Israel’s main base of support – a friendship rooted in shared values Netanyahu is trashing. It’s also the overwhelming home of Jewish American voters and is led by figures committed to Israel’s security and survival, even when they voice sharp criticism.
Democratic support for Israel rests on values and interests that once guided leaders in both countries. While past Republican and Democratic administrations upheld this alliance, today’s Republican Party – like Likud – has become a one-man show. The Democratic Party, by contrast, still upholds the values that shaped decades of policy, even as it shifts toward a younger, more progressive leadership critical of Netanyahu’s government.
There is, of course, a real concern that this shift presses too far, which is exactly why we must make clear that Israel is not Netanyahu and heed the voice from our pro-Israel friends in the party.
A handful of Democrats consistently oppose Israeli policy and edge toward outright hostility, but their influence is often overstated in Israel. The vast majority of Democratic leadership is far more committed to the State of Israel than the fleeting supporters among MAGA members or Christian evangelicals, the partners of Israeli cabinet ministers Bezalel Smotrich, Orit Strock, and Itamar Ben-Gvir.
It is true that Democrats are moving to impose restrictions on offensive military aid to Israel, frustrated at Netanyahu’s refusal to make a hostage deal and seeking to ensure their support strengthens our security rather than fueling messianic fantasies of annexation or the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza. They see this not as hostility but as an effort to stand with anti-Netanyahu protesters and safeguard Israel’s future.
Republicans, in contrast, are narrowing their definition of what falls in America’s interests, abandoning the defense of allies and the free world. When talks begin on the next 10-year aid package, we will feel the impact of the Heritage 2025 project’s isolationist agenda, which opposes free aid to a wealthy country like Israel.
The US is in a period of polarizing leadership and rising political violence that could push the world’s greatest power into yet more chaos and instability. In this moment, we must remember: Our true friends are not those who exploit Israel to attack their opponents, nor those who give Netanyahu a blank check in Gaza. They are the ones who have stood by us consistently – and still do – even when their support comes with tough love that many Israelis would rather not hear.
The writer is J Street-Israel’s executive director. He has served as an Israeli diplomat in Washington and Boston and as a political adviser to the president of Israel.