Former IDF Military Intelligence chief Tamir Hayman warned that American public opinion is becoming increasingly hostile toward Israel, threatening the bipartisan support that has long protected the country from international isolation and sanctions. Speaking at the Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth National Security Conference, Hayman said anti-Israel positions have moved from the Democratic Party’s far-left fringes into its mainstream and are now also spreading through parts of the Republican Party.

Hayman, who now heads the Institute for National Security Studies, cited troubling attitudes among younger Americans. He said 86% of Democrats under 50 hold negative views of Israel, along with 56% of Republicans in that age group and more than half of young Evangelical Christians. He warned that these views will eventually be reflected among future lawmakers and senior officials in Washington.

While Israel remains highly regarded among senior U.S. military commanders, Hayman said its political position is far less secure. “In the White House, we are relying on one person,” he said, warning that Israelis betting the future of the relationship on Secretary of State Marco Rubio becoming president are taking “a very dangerous gamble.” He said Israel must rebuild ties with American Jewry, present a credible diplomatic vision and avoid abandoning its relationships in Europe.

Addressing Iran, Hayman said a major strike would be justified only if it could produce a significant change in reality. Another attack intended merely to inflict pain would not force Tehran to surrender or accept conditions it has previously rejected, he said, particularly when the potential cost and the availability of interceptor missiles are taken into account.

Hayman said Israel is watching two competing timelines: the possible collapse of the Iranian regime and Iran’s progress toward a nuclear weapon. He assessed that Israel would not tolerate Iran crossing a certain nuclear threshold, while warning that Tehran continues advancing its program in pursuit of what he called the ultimate insurance policy for an authoritarian regime—a nuclear bomb.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)