As Israel fights its bloodiest war in decades, many Israelis have found comfort and strength from an unexpected wartime leader: President Biden.

Biden’s popularity has soared in Israel, with the president’s staunch support for the country’s response to Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack earning him widespread praise. That stands in contrast to the bitter criticism directed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the failure both to prevent the assault and to comfort Israelis shaken by the massacre.