On Friday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was in Israel warning against a ground operation in Rafah, "We won't be able to beat Hamas without entering Rafah and killing the rest of their battalions there. I told him that I hope we do this with U.S. support, but if we need to – we will do it alone."

These statements, along with the other hollow, haughty statements by members of his government, who prattle "We'll be fine without the United States," "We'll easily fight if we need to," are continuing to endanger Israel's most important relationship – Israel's strategic support since the 1960s.

The relationship with the United States multiplies Israel's national security, and is a core element in Israel's deterrence and diplomatic umbrella, but this doesn't keep Netanyahu from constantly undermining it. With horrific irresponsibility for more than a decade, in a long series of clashes with American presidents – public, pointless, useless conflicts – Netanyahu harms the bipartisan support and ultimately leaves a question hovering over Israel's true strategic value for the United States and its interests.

Over the years, the United States provided Israel with aid to the tune of more than $150 billion, including an annual military grant of $3.8 billion, making Israel the United States' key military partner outside of NATO, and granting Israel exclusive, primary access to advanced U.S. weapons systems and technologies. As part of this partnership, Israel upheld a basic political principle: staying within the consensus and maintaining binational support.

Netanyahu is crudely and arrogantly shattering this principle. In his affected self-righteousness, he blamed Jewish Democrat and Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer, of interfering in Israel's internal affairs for criticizing Netanyahu and calling for elections in Israel. This is the same Netanyahu who has blatantly interfered in American politics time and time again.

Despite U.S. President Joe Biden's unprecedented support for Israel following Hamas' October 7 attacks, Netanyahu has been ignoring American requests and interests, ignoring criticism the United States has absorbed for its support of Israel, ignoring the political price that Biden has paid, and mostly refusing to hold a serious dialogue with the U.S. about the day after in Gaza, and about a new diplomatic and political infrastructure in the Middle East that includes the Palestinians.

Instead, Netanyahu has been publicly quarreling with Biden about a Rafah operation, and ignoring the U.S.' warnings about the international price Israel will pay. The United States considers Israel an ally, but Netanyahu has become a burden. As long as he is in power, Israel will continue to pay the price for his arrogant policy. This causes significant damage, and comes on top of all the other damage Netanyahu has caused Israel. He needs to step down.