Overview
- Senior diplomats Antony Blinken and Mike Pompeo spoke together at the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly and both affirmed the institutional strength of the U.S.–Israel relationship.
- Blinken said he warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel risks losing support among young Republicans and young evangelicals and he criticized Israel’s treatment of Palestinian civilians in Gaza as having shown disregard for their well‑being.
- Pompeo vigorously defended Israel’s conduct, warned against equating Israel with Hamas, rejected making concessions to Iran, and described ongoing Israeli intelligence cooperation that he says has protected U.S. officials.
- The 2016 security assistance memorandum covering fiscal years 2019–2028 remains the baseline for cooperation, but both men acknowledged active debate over whether U.S. funding will continue unchanged and whether Israel should pay more for its own weapons.
- Their public split highlights broader policy choices that could change U.S. backing and regional diplomacy: disagreements over Iran strategy, the role of Palestinian statehood in expanding the Abraham Accords, and how shifts in American public opinion shape future aid and Israeli messaging.