Netanyahu eyes new allies as Israel-US ties strain

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he is trying to build new alliances with different powers around the world besides the United States, taking the example of India. The remarks from the Israeli prime minister came amid brewing tensions in West Asia, along with the ongoing tussle between Tel Aviv and Washington, DC.

“You have to build new alliances and develop new relationships. That’s what I’m doing right now with India," Israeli PM Netanyahu said, speaking with Sharon Gal, a prominent right-wing journalist in Israel. The remarks from the Israeli prime minister came at a time when many officials within the country criticised the peace deal struck between the US and Iran.

In response to the criticism, US Vice President JD Vance suggested that the Israeli government not speak against “the only powerful ally" the Jewish state was ‘left’ with “anywhere in the world". Following this, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed back, saying: “We have some other friends, like a small country called India. It has 1.4 billion people, and boy, do we have tremendous support there."

🚨 BIG STATEMENT

Israeli PM Netanyahu on India: "You have to build new alliances... That's what I'm doing right now with India." 🔥pic.twitter.com/fVcHg3YXkz

— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) July 9, 2026

The dwindling ties between Trump and Netanyahu

While speaking to CNN News18, Israel’s Ambassador Reuven Azar said that his country agreed on a peace deal with Lebanon only “out of respect" for the US, insisting that the two long-time allies still share a stable bond. However, the personal relationship between the American president and the Israeli prime minister had grown acrimonious over differences on how to conduct and end their war in West Asia.

Amid the conflict, reports soon started to emerge that conversations between the two leaders included the American President even using expletives against Israel’s Netanyahu. In a new book, authored by Maggie Haberman and Johnathan Swan, titled

Regime Change: Inside The Imperial Presidency Of Donald Trump, it was revealed that in a phone call with Netanyahu when a peace deal was being discussed between Israel and Hamas, the US President said he was ‘sick’ of the Israeli leader, who is often called ‘Bibi’.

“I’ve done everything to protect you. You better go along with this. It’s been going on for too long. Everybody’s sick of you, Bibi," he had said. ‘This’, here, referred to the peace deal being negotiated. This week, the US launched a fresh wave of attacks against Iran, putting the peace deal announced last month under jeopardy. Amid the chaos, Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz, said that the country's military campaign against Iran expressed support for the United States' latest operation.