The average American watched the Gaza war from afar as a "dramatic and gruesome humanitarian crisis that Israel was responsible for" – but the U.S.-Israel war in Iran is having a far greater impact on U.S. voters and politicians, Haaretz columnist Joshua Leifer said, speaking on the Haaretz Podcast. 

"The perception is that this was a war that no one in America wanted," and "that America has been tricked into a war of choice, and that this is Israel’s fault."

This, he said, has fueled the erosion of congressional support for continuing massive military aid to Israel – and in the Democratic Party, growing support for refusing to sell arms to Israel entirely. 

On the podcast, Leifer also discusses the state of the fragile cease-fire with Iran, and the "nightmare scenario" possibility of a prolonged period in which there will be no renewed fighting nor an agreement, leaving the region in dangerous limbo. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to suffer domestic political consequences for a failure to achieve the promised victory in Iran, Leifer added, noting that prior to October 7, Netanyahu had been positively perceived by voters as "a relatively cautious and conflict averse prime minister who chose not to get Israel involved in protracted wars. Here, he has really plunged Israel into quite a mess."

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The average American watched the Gaza war from afar as a "dramatic and gruesome humanitarian crisis that Israel was responsible for" &ndash; but the U.S.-Israel war in Iran is having a far greater impact on U.S. voters and politicians, Haaretz columnist Joshua Leifer said, speaking on the Haaretz Podcast.&nbsp;
"The perception is that this was a war that no one in America wanted," and "that America has been tricked into a war of choice, and that this is Israel&rsquo;s fault."
This, he said, has fueled the erosion of congressional support for continuing massive military aid to Israel &ndash; and in the Democratic Party, growing support for refusing to sell arms to Israel entirely.&nbsp;
On the podcast, Leifer also discusses the state of the fragile cease-fire with Iran, and the "nightmare scenario" possibility of a prolonged period in which there will be no renewed fighting nor an agreement, leaving the region in dangerous limbo.&nbsp;
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to suffer domestic political consequences for a failure to achieve the promised victory in Iran, Leifer added, noting that prior to October 7, Netanyahu had been positively perceived by voters as "a relatively cautious and conflict averse prime minister who chose not to get Israel involved in protracted wars. Here, he has really plunged Israel into quite a mess."
Read more:
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/haaretz-today/2026-04-20/ty-article/.highlight/rahm-emanuels-surprising-remarks-on-israel-what-he-left-unsaid-is-just-as-big/0000019d-ab87-dbb2-a19d-bfd76e470000">Analysis by Joshua Leifer: Presidential Hopeful Rahm Emanuel Made Surprising Remarks on Israel. What He Left Unsaid Is Just as Big</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2026-04-16/ty-article/.premium/opposing-weapons-sales-to-israel-is-the-new-democratic-norm/0000019d-960f-d834-abbd-ffcfaf630000">Analysis by Joshua Leifer: Opposing Weapons Sales to Israel is the New Democratic Norm</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/iran/2026-04-28/ty-article/trump-not-happy-with-latest-iran-proposal-to-end-the-war-u-s-official-says/0000019d-d2cd-d3b0-af9d-f2df5ef70000">Trump Not Happy With Latest Iran Proposal to End the War, U.S. Official Says</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2026-04-27/ty-article/former-top-biden-official-says-netanyahu-helped-create-a-genocide-in-gaza/0000019d-cfbf-d3b0-af9d-efbf2a960000">Former Top Biden Official Says Netanyahu Helped Create a 'Genocide in Gaza'</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/iran/2026-04-24/ty-article/iran-war-has-depleted-u-s-ammunition-stockpile-significantly-report-says/0000019d-be50-deab-ab9d-bff788f90000">Iran War Has Depleted U.S. Ammunition Stockpile Significantly, Report Says</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-04-24/ty-article/.premium/source-israel-agreed-but-did-not-comply-with-u-s-request-to-curb-gaza-strikes/0000019d-c0b9-df03-a7bf-fefbeb4a0000">U.S. Asked IDF to Curb Gaza Strikes; Source: Israel Agreed, but Failed to Comply</a>

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – a weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – a weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

Your audio guide to Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World.

Haaretz Podcast

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – the Haaretz weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer. 

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – the Haaretz weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.