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The Israeli government has played Donald Trump like a violin. Netanyahu has welcomed Trump’s entirely bogus love for the Jews, which helps Bibi equate criticism of his own barbarism with antisemitism. It all worked beautifully—until now.
Never underestimate Trump’s willingness to throw friends under the bus when that proves expedient. Trump’s latest bromance, with Saudi Arabia’s crown price and de facto leader Mohammed bin Salman, shifts the regional balance of power. And there is absolutely nothing Netanyahu can do about it.
Until this week’s warm reception for MBS at the White House, this was the state of play: The Gaza cease-fire was holding, but just barely. And despite a lot of posturing, success in moving from a cease-fire to the kind of regional settlement that Trump has been touting was remote if not defunct.
From Bibi’s perspective, the destruction of Iran’s nuclear capacity, the severe weakening of Iran’s capacity to support Hezbollah, and the decapitation of Hamas leadership, however grotesque in terms of violating international law, had shifted the regional balance of power in Israel’s favor. Gaza was rubble, and the issue of Palestinian statehood continued to be put off for another day.
But Trump’s courtship of MBS, in Trump’s usual performative and half-baked manner, intended as a distraction from Trump’s budget and Epstein woes, portends a different Mideast shift. And despite Israel’s usual capacity to rile up many American Jews to influence Washington, in this case Bibi is impotent to alter U.S. policy. Synagogues may have ubiquitous signs that say, “We stand with Israel,” but there will be none that read, “Watch out for MBS.”
Even before he had any kind of deal with MBS on recognition of Israel or anything else, Trump agreed to sell the Saudis F-35 fighter jets. That’s the kind of concession you make as part of a final deal, not as a welcome gift. |
