US President Donald Trump has a Middle East policy that is different from Israel, a former US envoy said, amid growing divisions between Washington and Tel Aviv over a host of regional issues.
“I think what you’re seeing is the Israelis recognizing that as much as they welcomed the election of President Trump and thought that would really give them a blank check to pursue whatever agenda they wanted, Trump has his own agenda,” NBC News quoted Frank Lowenstein, a former Middle East envoy under the Obama administration, as saying during a virtual briefing organized by J Street, an advocacy group that describes itself as pro-Israel and pro-peace.
Differences between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are visible regarding Iran and the ongoing Israeli onslaught on Gaza.
Trump, who once lifted restrictions on arms shipments to Israel and encouraged its genocidal war in Gaza, now appears to be charting a path that diverges from Netanyahu’s.
With Iran under pressure from US sanctions and the loss of regional proxies, the Israeli prime minister sees a strategic moment to launch military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Trump, however, is pushing for diplomacy.
“We haven’t made that decision yet,” Trump said on Wednesday, when asked whether the US would allow Iran to retain a uranium enrichment program for civilian purposes under a new nuclear agreement.
He has signaled a willingness to negotiate with Tehran, frustrating Israeli officials who oppose any deal that leaves Iran with enrichment capability.
“They’re worried about any deal,” a US official told NBC News.
Netanyahu’s government has made clear that it expects the US to reject any outcome short of full dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Yet, according to sources familiar with the matter, Trump’s administration continues to explore options for a new agreement.
-Israeli frustration
The disagreement spilled further into the open when Trump halted US military operations against the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, following their pledge to stop attacks on American vessels in the Red Sea. That decision came as a shocking surprise to Israel, especially since it came just days after the Houthis launched a missile near Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s main airport.
Netanyahu had hoped to secure a commitment for US air support in the event of an Israeli strike on Iran. Instead, Trump announced plans to engage in direct talks with Iran.
The Israeli prime minister, according to US officials, believes such talks are futile and risk squandering a rare strategic advantage, as Iran’s air defenses-reportedly severely damaged in an Israeli strike last October – are being rebuilt.
The US and Iran concluded the fourth round of diplomatic talks in the Omani capital, Muscat, on Sunday.
Regarding Gaza, Trump privately criticized an Israeli plan to expand its onslaught in the enclave, calling it a “wasted effort because it will make it harder to rebuild.”
More than 52,800 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Despite Netanyahu’s frustrations, analysts say he is unlikely to confront Trump publicly.
“Those folks love Trump, so for him to go very publicly against Trump is something he really can’t do,” said Ilan Goldenberg, a former Pentagon official.
Trump is scheduled to travel to the Middle East next week, with planned stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE – but not Israel.