Trump Aides See Easier Ties With Israel Minus Netanyahu
(MENAFN) Several senior advisers to US President Donald Trump believe Washington could work more smoothly with an Israeli government that does not include Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a report published Saturday by a US news outlet. The reported view contrasts with Trump’s public backing of the Israeli leader days before Tuesday’s election.
The report said frustration with Netanyahu has built inside Trump’s circle over the past six months, driven largely by the war with Iran and clashes over the administration’s wider Middle East agenda.
Vice President JD Vance is among the senior officials who have grown disillusioned, amid concerns that the assessments Netanyahu gave the White House before the war proved wrong. Asked about the election, Vance declined to endorse the prime minister and said Trump’s position was the one that counted.
Other top officials have also raised alarms over Israeli policy in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon and the occupied West Bank. Their criticisms include Netanyahu’s reluctance to move Trump’s Gaza peace plan forward and to rein in settler attacks on Palestinians.
Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have voiced irritation over delays in carrying out the Gaza plan. Envoy Tom Barrack is troubled by Israeli military operations in Syria. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s team believes Israel could do more to bolster Lebanon’s government.
Despite the friction, Trump endorsed Netanyahu on Sunday, suggesting that his defeat could carry consequences for US-Israel relations.
Some advisers reportedly think a new Israeli government without Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners would give Washington more room to pursue diplomatic deals across the region.
The report said frustration with Netanyahu has built inside Trump’s circle over the past six months, driven largely by the war with Iran and clashes over the administration’s wider Middle East agenda.
Vice President JD Vance is among the senior officials who have grown disillusioned, amid concerns that the assessments Netanyahu gave the White House before the war proved wrong. Asked about the election, Vance declined to endorse the prime minister and said Trump’s position was the one that counted.
Other top officials have also raised alarms over Israeli policy in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon and the occupied West Bank. Their criticisms include Netanyahu’s reluctance to move Trump’s Gaza peace plan forward and to rein in settler attacks on Palestinians.
Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have voiced irritation over delays in carrying out the Gaza plan. Envoy Tom Barrack is troubled by Israeli military operations in Syria. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s team believes Israel could do more to bolster Lebanon’s government.
Despite the friction, Trump endorsed Netanyahu on Sunday, suggesting that his defeat could carry consequences for US-Israel relations.
Some advisers reportedly think a new Israeli government without Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners would give Washington more room to pursue diplomatic deals across the region.
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