Israeli Prime Minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel needs to know how to influence its supporters in the United States (US) and reach them through American media as his Likud party began its election campaign.
Speaking at a Likud event in Tel Aviv on Thursday, Netanyahu said that Israel had “many friends” and supporters in the US and needed to engage with them to maintain and increase cooperation with Washington.
“First and foremost, starting with the greatest [ally] in the United States, the friends we have in the United States,” Netanyahu said.
“There are many opponents and there are many supporters.”
“We need to know how to influence them; we need to know how to talk to them, speak to them in the American media and speak to them at every opportunity.”
Netanyahu said that Israel needed to pay attention to its standing in the international arena and use its supporters to strengthen cooperation with the US.
“And why speak to them? Because we are trying to preserve and even increase cooperation with the United States, our great friend, on critical needs,” he said.
His remarks came as he kicked off Likud’s campaign ahead of Israel’s upcoming general election, with much of his speech focused on security and Israel’s genocide.
Netanyahu said that he and Likud were “the only ones who can guarantee Israel’s security” and referred to Israeli military operations in Iran, Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip since 2023.
“The mission must be completed, we must bring down the Iranian regime and totally destroy Hezbollah and Hamas,” he said.
He also accused political rivals of seeking “territorial concessions” in the name of security and pointed to Israeli troops in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza as evidence that “we take land instead of giving it.”
Netanyahu also repeated his claim that he “has changed the face of the Middle East” and said that he would change it again without providing further details.
