Benjamin Netanyahu entered the war with Iran believing it could transform the region and strengthen his position at home ahead of election. Donald Trump saw an opportunity to project superpower America and force Tehran to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
Months later, the two leaders are looking at the same peace deal through very different lenses. As US and Iran move toward an agreement, Israeli leaders fear the war could end before they secure the outcomes they fought for. It opens an increasingly awkward rift between Trump and one of America’s closest allies.
For Trump, the agreement offers an immediate way out of war.
ISRAEL FEARS IT IS BEING SIDELINED
The memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran is expected to be formally signed in Switzerland later on Friday. The agreement calls for a halt to military operations and launches a 60-day negotiation period to resolve outstanding disputes.
Israeli officials have reacted cautiously. Behind closed doors, however, concerns are growing.
One senior Israeli official described the preliminary agreement as “terrible for Israel”.
“And there is no one in the Israeli leadership who views it otherwise, from the prime minister to the chief of staff,” the official told Reuters.
Israeli officials believe the negotiation period could be extended beyond the initial 60 days. Such an extension would effectively prevent Israel from taking military action while key issues remain under discussion.
For Netanyahu, the deal presents a difficult challenge. He has long argued that close ties with Trump give Israel a stronger voice in Washington. Critics now say the agreement leaves Israel limited influence over the negotiations.
TRUMP AND NETANYAHU DRIFT APART
The tensions did not emerge overnight.
Trump and Netanyahu have repeatedly disagreed over Israel’s military operations in Lebanon. Washington has pushed for de-escalation in Lebanon as part of negotiations with Iran. Israel, meanwhile, has continued to target Hezbollah positions and insists it must retain freedom of action against threats along its borders.
Those disagreements became increasingly visible as diplomacy accelerated.
Hours before the US-Iran agreement was announced, Israel again hit Beirut with rockets. Trump later downplayed the incident, reportedly describing the exchange as “small and meaningless”.
Dan Shapiro, a former US ambassador to Israel, said the situation reflects a clear divergence between the two allies.
“This is a pretty stark moment of divergence of interests,” he told Reuters.
“He will try to not openly oppose (the deal), so as not to get into a brawl with Trump,” Shapiro added. “But he will indicate Israel is not bound by it, and Israel reserves its rights.”
WHY LEBANON COULD TEST THE DEAL
One of the most sensitive parts of the agreement concerns Lebanon.
Mediator Pakistan has said the deal calls for a halt to military activity across all fronts, including Lebanon. That demand aligns with Tehran’s longstanding insistence that any settlement must address the fighting involving Hezbollah.
Iran also said that Lebanon is a part of the proposed agreement with the US. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the draft memorandum refers to Lebanon three times and includes commitments to end military action on all fronts while respecting the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Israel has shown little willingness to accept restrictions in Lebanon.
Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces would remain in areas seized during military operations in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza.
“If Iran attacks Israel due to the events in Lebanon – we will attack it with all our might,” Katz said.
RISKS FOR NETANYAHU
The timing of the deal could hardly be more difficult for Netanyahu.
Israel is heading toward elections later this year, and recent polls show the prime minister faces a difficult contest.
One of Netanyahu’s political arguments has been that his personal rapport with Trump brings results. During Trump’s first term, the US recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, relocated its embassy there and backed the Abraham Accords, which helped normalise relations between Israel and several Arab states.
The new agreement with Iran threatens to complicate that narrative.
Political analyst Jonathan Rynhold said Netanyahu may struggle to convince Israeli voters that the agreement represents a victory.
“(Netanyahu) will be unable to sell this agreement to the Israeli public,” Rynhold told Reuters.
“The best that he can hope for is that they fail to reach an agreement and the war restarts to Israel’s advantage in 60 days.”
Meanwhile, Israel continue to insist that their country will act independently if they believe Iran is rebuilding military capabilities.
– Ends
With inputs from agencies
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