Trump, Netanyahu and ‘Deep States’

Q. Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Netanyahu wrote: "In America and Israel, when a strong right-wing leader wins, the leftist Deep State weaponizes the justice system to thwart the people's will. They won't win in either place!" Can you explain?

A. The explanation is multi-dimensional. Both Trump and Netanyahu refer frequently to a “Deep State” that by any objective standard does not exist in either the US or the Israeli context. That quote also hints at a broad phenomenon whereby Trump has become an object of emulation by authoritarian leaders globally. Netanyahu is a key case-in-point. And Israel’s current “Qatargate” scandal poses the frightening question of who is ‘deepstating’ whom.

Q. Start by defining what a deep state is and is not.

A. According to the Cambridge online dictionary, a deep state consists of “organizations such as military, police, or political groups that are said to work secretly in order to protect particular interests and to rule a country without being elected.” In recent years, a leader like Trump or Netanyahu who, once elected, attempts to alter the constitutional checks and balances of a democratic system and is frustrated precisely by that system, has responded by labeling institutions within that system, without justification, ‘deep state.’ 

Yossi Alpher is an independent security analyst. He is the former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University, a former senior official with the Mossad, and a former IDF intelligence officer. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent NJN's views and policy positions.

1. Bills, Resolutions
2. Letters
3. Hearings
4. Selected Members on the Record
5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

1. Bills & Resolutions

**HEADS UP**:  On 4/9/25 the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions will hold a hearing (and advance to the full Senate for a vote) S. 558, the “Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2025“ (introduced 2/13/25 by Scott, R-SC, and having 40 bipartisan cosponsors). As noted many times in the past, this legislation seeks to codify into U.S. law, and enforce, the IHRA definition of antisemitism, including its “contemporary examples” that explicitly conflate criticism of Israel, Israeli policies/actions, and Zionism with antisemitism [with the targeting of such criticism the clear objective of the legislation]. Further details on the hearing are covered in section 3.

Disapproval of More US Weapons Exports to Israel

• Press release – PREPARED REMARKS: Sanders Speech on Senate Vote to Block $8.8 Billion Sale of Heavy Bombs to Israel [also see Sanders X-post which includes video of action on the Senate floor]
• On the Senate Floor: See consideration of the two resolutions on the Senate floor in the Congressional Record, with Sanders and Van Hollen (D-MD) speaking in favor and Risch (R-ID) speaking against.
• Senators voting in support of the resolutions (with hyperlinks to press releases they issued about the vote) were: Durbin (D-IL), Heinrich (D-NM), Hirono (D-HI), Kaine (D-VA), Kim (D-NJ), Lujan (D-NM), Markey (D-MA), Merkley (D-OR), Murphy (D-CT), Sanders (I-VT – floor consideration), Schatz (D-HI), Smith (D-MN), Van Hollen (D-MD – see floor consideration), Warren (D-MA), Welch (D-VT) (also see X-post with video statement). Voting “present” on both resolutions was Baldwin (D-WI).