Political analyst Mitchell Barak, a veteran pollster and keen observer of US-Israel relations, recently weighed in on shifting dynamics in the wake of the US election and the October 7 attacks on Israel. Speaking with Rabbi Pesach Wolicki as part of Arutz Sheva and Israel365’s election coverage, Barak emphasized a surprising but heartening phenomenon: the robust support from American Jewish communities for Israel, as evidenced in financial aid, equipment donations for the IDF, and other forms of solidarity. “In the wake of October 7, Israel saw that Diaspora Jewry truly has its back,” he remarked.

On the election front, Barak offered a candid assessment of Kamala Harris’s campaign approach. “We never got a clear sense of what Kamala Harris planned to do, what her policies were going to be from day one,” Barak said. “There was momentum early on when she stepped in as the candidate, with people coming forward in big numbers, but she struggled to articulate her own vision.” Rather than outline a clear agenda, Harris’s campaign focused on criticizing Trump, which Barak noted likely did little to sway voters.

Looking at the transition period ahead, Barak suggested US policy toward Israel would remain largely stable until Trump formally takes office. He observed that while Harris and President Biden publicly supported Israel’s right to self-defense and condemned the October 7 Hamas attack, internal tensions within the Democratic Party reflect complex views on Gaza. “With images from Gaza and Lebanon, many Democrats and even some Israelis are now questioning the US’s ongoing role, wondering how much further Israel should go in Gaza,” Barak explained.

Barak acknowledged that while Harris reiterated her stance on Israel’s defense rights, there is growing support within her party and the US administration for an eventual ceasefire, which many feel would serve both Israel’s and the US’s interests.