Tel Aviv: A future US president could adopt a hostile approach toward Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu has said in a “security doctrine” ahead of the upcoming October 27 election in the country.
While urging the country to aggressively expand and strengthen its global alliances, he named India and nations in Latin America as critical partners.
Netanyahu stressed the need to prepare the country for long-term shifts in Washington while speaking at a security event. While Israel must maximize its strategic position over the remaining two years of US president Donald Trump’s current term, it must prepare for what happens next, he said.
“In two years, a president, man or woman, could come to power who is very hostile to Israel,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu’s past relationships with Democratic administrations, specifically under Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, were highly strained, analysts have said. He has traditionally framed these clashes as proof of his willingness to stand up to Washington to protect Israeli interests.
Netanyahu also positioned India as a central pillar of Israel’s long-term diplomatic strategy, In his security doctrine presentation, with his comments built on a recurring theme that he has championed throughout recent months.
He categorized India as an essential alternative alliance, stating: “The second thing is to create other alliances… India is not a small country, and there are many others.”
Deepening ties with New Delhi helps safeguard Israel from potential policy shifts or future hostility in Washington, he said.
Netanyahu praised India as a “major global power” and framed the bilateral relationship as a unique, highly valued partnership that shields Israel against international attempts to isolate or delegitimise it.
This reaffirms views he expressed earlier. He has frequently pointed to his strong rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the immense support Israel receives from the Indian public.
“In India, there is an absolutely crazy love for Israel-truly crazy,” he has noted earlier, joking that he likely has more social media followers from India than from anywhere else.
Netanyahu also pointed toward emerging political shifts in Latin America-specifically mentioning potential leadership changes in Brazil as opportunities to expand Israel’s diplomatic network.
His primary electoral rival, Gadi Eisenkot (former chief of staff of the Israel Defence Forces), sharply criticized the presentation. He dismissed the plan as “two hollow pages full of slogans,” calling it election-time rhetoric meant to manipulate public perception and fear rather than a substantive national security strategy.
