Netanyahu Walks Diplomatic Tightrope With Trump on Iran
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- Netanyahu met with Trump for over an hour on Tuesday (July 28) to survey three options for the Iran war: a nuclear deal, continued economic pressure via sanctions and a blockade, or escalated military action
- A senior Israeli official said Netanyahu did not advocate for any specific course but drilled into detail for each path, adding 'new ideas' rather than demands to the discussion
- Earlier in the conflict, Netanyahu and his aides were more prescriptive, even outlining a military plan aimed at Iran's regime falling quickly — a plan that the article notes failed to bear out
- A Trump administration official said the White House has been frustrated with Netanyahu during the conflict and that 'they have some repair work to do,' noting Trump does not take kindly to demands from a foreign power
- Israel sees 'no easy answer' on how to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and undermine Iran's Islamist regime, the senior Israeli official said
- The same Israeli official flagged risks of military escalation for the global economy: 'I don't disregard the concern that if you do something that doesn't work and kick up the cost of oil … what does that do to the world economy?'
- Atlantic Council's Shalom Lipner said Netanyahu is treading carefully to avoid any perception of manipulating Trump, citing the 'toxic atmosphere surrounding Israel in Washington' and an unpopular war
Why it matters: Netanyahu's pivot from prescriptive to advisory reflects a power dynamic that has flipped against Israel — a Trump White House that once entertained regime-change plans now blames Netanyahu for missteps and demands 'repair work.' By declining to push a single path, Israel forfeits leverage at exactly the moment when decisions on Iran's nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz blockade, and potential escalation are being finalized.
