Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview that he is trying to develop new relationships with countries and deepen ties with them other than the United States, and highlighted India as a key partner.
During an interview with Israeli journalist Sharon Gal, Netanyahu said Tel Aviv has been actively working to forge new alliances with various world powers.
“You have to build new alliances and develop new relationships. That’s what I’m doing right now with India,” Netanyahu said in the interview that was released on Wednesday.
Growing friction over regional warfare strategy
The Israeli prime minister’s comments come amid an apparent patch in the relationship between Tel Aviv and Washington over US President Donald Trump’s administration’s approach towards war in West Asia against Iran and the crisis in Lebanon.
Earlier, a few Israeli officials had reportedly criticised an initial peace agreement struck between the United States and Iran to halt the hostilities in West Asia, and Netanyahu had said that “the struggle is not yet over, and further challenges lie ahead.”
Public pushback from the White House
In an apparent reference to the criticism, US Vice President JD Vance had suggested that Israeli leaders should avoid criticising the United States as it is “the only powerful ally” it had “left anywhere in the world.”
“If I were in the Cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world,” Vance had said.
Netanyahu rejects the narrative of isolation
Israeli PM Netanyahu had responded to Vance’s remarks at the time and highlighted India’s importance for Tel Aviv in an interview with Fox News.
“I respect JD Vance, and we have a very good relationship, but it doesn’t mean that I agree with everything that he says,” Netanyahu said.
Digital engagement and public backing from New Delhi
The Israeli prime minister continued: “We have some other friends, like a small country called India. You know it has 1.4 billion people, and boy, do we have tremendous support there. You know, I have this Facebook thing, and I’m just flooded by the overwhelming support there.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a joint press meet, in Jerusalem. (Source: Narendra Modi Photo Gallery/ANI Photo) 
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