ISTANBUL

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, in an opinion piece, addressed US President Donald Trump and argued that the current Israeli government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is actively undermining core US interests in the Middle East and should no longer be considered an ally.

Friedman asserted that this Israeli administration’s actions diverge significantly from US policy goals. "This Israeli government is behaving in ways that threaten hard-core U.S. interests in the region. Netanyahu is not our friend," he wrote.

Shifting priorities

According to Friedman, the current Israeli leadership's primary focus is not on achieving peace with its Arab neighbors. Instead, he said its priority is "the annexation of the West Bank, the expulsion of the Palestinians of Gaza and the re-establishment there of Israeli settlements."

This agenda, Friedman contends, directly clashes with the long-standing US-led security architecture in the region, which has historically been based on a commitment to a two-state solution "of some kind."

The columnist also suggested Netanyahu placed personal political survival above national and US interests.

Friedman detailed how Netanyahu allegedly refused a US-brokered deal for Saudi-Israeli normalization, which hinged on dialogue about a two-state solution, because "the Jewish supremacists in his cabinet said if he did so they would topple his government."

Gaza, regional stability

Friedman expressed grave concerns over Netanyahu's plans for Gaza, suggesting they aim for a permanent Israeli military presence.

He described the strategy as "a permanent Israeli military occupation, whose unstated goal will be to pressure all Palestinians to leave." Such an outcome, Friedman warned, "is a prescription for a permanent insurgency — Vietnam on the Mediterranean."

He warned Israel's approach could lead to further war crime accusations and destabilize US allies like Jordan and Egypt.

"On the Middle East, you have some good independent instincts, Mr. President. Follow them," he said and warned of severe long-term consequences otherwise, such as a future where "the Jewish state is a pariah state."

Israel has kept Gaza’s crossings closed to food, medical and humanitarian aid since March 2, deepening an already humanitarian crisis in the enclave, according to government, human rights, and international reports.

Nearly 52,800 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.