Netanyahu: Manipulation on social media harming Israel’s image with Americans

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that the declining support for the Jewish state among Americans, as recent polls show, could be down to the “proliferation of social media” and actions of sovereign nations behinds the scenes.

The information permeating on social media and countries’ manipulation “with bot farms and other things” are related to the change in levels of support for Israel, Netanyahu told ABC News’ Linsey Davis.

“Does it concern me? Yes, yes, it does. And I want bipartisan support for Israel, because I think that’s a fundament of our national security,” the prime minister added.

Netanyahu also discussed his meetings with senior officials in the White House, including Vice President JD Vance, who had recently expressed critical views of the Israeli government, saying it contains elements that want to prolong the conflict with Tehran.

Netanyahu told ABC News that Israel is not engaged in manipulating U.S. public opinion, or in attempts to derail the U.S.-Iran talks.

“I had a very good conversation with the vice president this morning, and I think we straightened that out because we’re not. That’s not our policy,” he said.

The Israeli premier also discussed the repeated Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting maritime shipping and the global economy.

“I don’t think the straits are going to be that powerful a leverage, because people will move the energy pipelines out of the straits to the Red Sea, from there to Israel in the Mediterranean. We can unblock this choke hold, and we will,” he said.

As for the prospect for successful negotiations, Netanyahu said he is “skeptical about Iran’s modus operandi, I mean, the method of operating. They always lie, they always cheat, and they always play for time. Could that, within sufficient pressure—diplomatic, economic pressure—could that change? Give it a try.”

Netanyahu paid a visit to Washington, D.C., this week to attend the funeral of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of Israel’s strongest supporters in Congress, who died abruptly at the age of 71.