Netanyahu Is Sidelined in Trump’s Iran Deal as 45% of Israelis Say Threat Has Worsened
Updated
Updated · CNN · May 29
Netanyahu Is Sidelined in Trump’s Iran Deal as 45% of Israelis Say Threat Has Worsened
5 articles · Updated · CNN · May 29
Three months after joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, Netanyahu has little sway over Trump’s push for an interim deal, and Israeli officials fear it could ease pressure on Tehran without removing enriched uranium.
Israel’s core objections center on uranium stockpiles, ballistic missiles and Iran-backed proxies, while a possible Lebanon ceasefire is another flashpoint as Hezbollah steps up drone attacks and Washington restrains Israeli operations.
Netanyahu has avoided publicly confronting Trump, instead letting allies and pro-government media blame US negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, reflecting his political dependence on the US president ahead of elections.
Polls underscore the domestic risk: 45% of Israelis say the Iran situation has worsened since October 7, 31% say it improved, and nearly half think Israel will probably not win or has already lost the war.
The shift threatens Netanyahu’s long-built identity as the leader who would stop Iran through force and close US coordination, raising the prospect that a Trump-brokered deal could undercut both his legacy and doctrine.
Has Netanyahu's hardline Iran strategy failed, leaving Israel more vulnerable as the US pivots to diplomacy?
After a massive joint military strike, is the emerging US-Iran deal simply a return to the old status quo?
How can US-Iran diplomacy succeed while Tehran controls the Strait of Hormuz, a new chokepoint on global energy?
Netanyahu Sidelined as US Pursues Iran Deal: Israel’s Strategic Influence and Security Concerns in Crisis
Overview
The report highlights a major shift in US-Iran negotiations, where deepening tensions between the US and Israeli governments have led to the noticeable marginalization of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As President Trump expands indirect talks with Iran, the US moves from a joint military campaign with Israel to an American-led diplomatic effort. This transition has caused growing frustration in Israel, which strongly opposes the ongoing US-Iran ceasefire diplomacy. Israeli officials, feeling sidelined, are concerned that being pushed out of crucial negotiations will weaken Israel’s strategic influence in the region.