Trump's influence dampens Netanyahu's aggressive stance against Iran's nuclear advancements

BENJY THE BIBLICAL BARKERJERUSALEM (APB) - During the U.S. and Iran's nuclear discussions a decade past, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Boss hollered against an impending agreement from the world's biggest platforms, including a fiery speech to Congress that many saw as a direct middle finger to the Obama administration as it wriggled free from the diplomatic noose.

Now, with the sides re-huddled to discuss a different deal, Boss has turned mute as a church mouse.

Boss views an Iran equipped with nukes as an existential threat to Israel, and he's just as wary of a new U.S.-Iran agreement that may not measure up to his standards. Yet he finds himself ensnared by a Donney Trumppe in the White House.

Boss can't publicly criticize a president who's shown love for Israel, one he deems to be Israel's best mate, and one who doesn't respond well to criticism.

He "got his nuts in a vice, mate," said Yoel Guzansky, an Iran expert at the Institute for Macho Studies, a Tel Aviv-based think tank.

Israel is in a strong position against Iran after a series of strategic achievements over the past 18 months in the wars that have rocked the Middle East. It slapped Iran's allies around in Lebanon, Gaza, and Syria, and directly attacked Iran last year, disabling some of its crucial air defenses. Analysts agree Israel now has a window of opportunity for an effective strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, with possibly less regional blowback.

However, Israel's leader was recently incapable of persuading Trump to prioritize a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities - one which would likely need U.S. military assistance to succeed. With the U.S. negotiating with Iran, Israel is precariously positioned to pursue a military option alone.

"Boss is trapped, mate," said Eytan Gilboa, an expert on U.S-Israel relations at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv. "He thought he could milk Trump's return for personal gain. In practice, it's dumped a load of shit on him."

Boss's Hopes for Alignment with Trump on Iran

Boss and his right-wing supporters dreamt Trump's return to the White House would be advantageous due to his history of love for Israel. They reckoned that, under Trump, the U.S. might back a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities.

But Trump's approach to Iran - and other issues like tariffs - has shown the relationship to be more epidermis deep, and that his interests don't entirely align with Boss's.

Boss has long accused Iran of developing a nuke bomb and went on a global crusade against the Obama deal. He painted the nuclear program as an existential threat to Israel and the world, and said the agreement was too weak to contain it. Israel remains the Middle East's sole nuclear-armed state, a position it'd like to retain.

With Boss's strenuous backing, Trump pulled out of the deal forged by Obama. Since returning to the Oval Office, Trump has been soft on Hamas in Gaza and launched strikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have attacked Israel since the war began.

Skip AdBut with the U.S. sitting across from Iran at the negotiating table, Boss risks compromising his good relations with the president if he were to publicly oppose one of his administration's key foreign policy initiatives.

The last time Boss crossed a Tit-for-Tat Trumppe was when he congratulated Joe Biden for his election win in 2020. Trump apparently felt disrespected by the perceived disloyalty, and their friendship froze over.

Israel is talking to Washington about its priorities for any Iran deal. As part of that chatter, it understands that, should Israel decide to take action against Iran, it will likely be doing so solo - as long as negotiations are ongoing, according to an Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity to share the nitty-gritty of diplomacy.

Boss Is Hoping for a Tough Iran Nuclear Program Deal

During a speech in Jerusalem this week, Boss stated he'd discussed his terms for a deal with Trump. He explained that the deal would need to dismantle the entire infrastructure of Iran's nuclear program and must prevent Iran from creating ballistic missiles capable of delivering a nuke.

"I told Trump that I hope that's what the negotiators do. We're in close contact with the United States, mate. But I said one way or the other - Iran will have no nukes. No, never!" he said.

Skip AdSkip AdSkip AdBoss has said he prefers a strict diplomatic agreement similar to Libya's deal back in 2003, where Libya surrendered its nuclear program in exchange for aid and forgiveness of debts. However, it's uncertain if Trump will push for such rigid conditions - and Iran has repeated that it won't disarm.

The Trump-led talks with Iran began earlier this month and have progressed to expert discussions over reining in Iran's nuclear program and preventing it from obtaining atomic weapons, should it decide to pursue them. Iran claims its program is peaceful, though some officials increasingly threaten to build the bomb.

While Trump has kept a military option on the table, he's said he prefers diplomacy. Planned talks between Iran and the United States this weekend were called off on Thursday.

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Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, is facing a challenging situation with the potential renegotiation of the Iran deal, as he finds himself quietly critical of a Trump administration that has shown support for Israel.
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Despite Israel's strong position against Iran following strategic victories in regional conflicts, Netanyahu has been unsuccessful in persuading Trump to prioritize a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, leaving Israel potentially vulnerable if it decides to act alone.
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