Alon Pinkas to Newsmax: US-Israel Tie Strong No Matter Who's at Helm

What Kamala Harris said Thursday to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "may not seem very comfortable or very palatable to Israeli ears, but reflects, according to polls at least, a majority of public opinion," in the U.S. and around the world, said former Ambassador Alon Pinkas, the former Israeli consul general in New York.

But the structural foundations between the U.S. and Israel are very strong, regardless of who the next U.S. leader is, he added.

"I think that the, the problem and the, the rogue element that's been damaging this relationship is Mr. Netanyahu, and he did it not just with Joe Biden. He did it with Donald Trump as well, and he did it with Barack Obama. And previously he did it with George H.W. Bush," Pinkas said Friday during an appearance on Newsmax's "American Agenda."

"So he has a record. But I'm not here to criticize him. In terms of her positions — and I know you take a less positive view of her — look, what she said yesterday may not seem very comfortable or very palatable to Israeli ears. But she reflects, according to polls at least, a majority of public opinion, not just in the U.S, but in the world."

Netanyahu, who gave a joint speech to Congress Wednesday, visited with Harris after spending almost three hours with Biden discussing the Gaza hostage and cease-fire deal.

Harris told reporters she pressed the Israeli prime minister to conclude a hostage and cease-fire deal.

"It is time for this war to end in a way where Israel is secure, all the hostages are released, the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can exercise their right to freedom, dignity, and self-determination," she said.

"And as I just told Prime Minister Netanyahu it is time to get this deal done. Let's get the deal done so we can get a cease-fire to end the war. Let's bring the hostages home. And let's provide much-needed relief to the Palestinian people."

Netanyahu was upset by her on-camera statement, according to an Israeli official, specifically by the fact that Harris spoke about the hostage and cease-fire deal as an end to the war. Israel maintains its position that it will resume fighting after the deal is implemented.

Pinkas said the interaction and how it will affect their relationship "obviously depends on several speculative elements that neither of us three know."

"Will she be president? I don't know. Will Mr. Netanyahu still be the prime minister? I don't know. What will the geopolitical conditions be when and if the both of them have to work together? I don't know, which means that we have to go to those things that we can look at with a level of acceptable certainty, meaning, OK, there's a relationship; it is strong.

"Israel as an ally. ... Israel is America's greatest ally in the region. That will remain, regardless of who is the president and who is the prime minister."

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