US Expert Says Trump Won't Allow Full-Right Israeli Government Amid Regional Strategy
Dr. Kobi Berda, a US affairs expert, analyzed the recent meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump in an interview with Channel 7. He noted the diplomatic nuances of their encounter, which was held in a broad forum without a press conference, and highlighted the unusual protocol, such as Netanyahu entering through a side door and Trump avoiding a handshake photo opportunity. Berda suggested these gestures carry symbolic diplomatic messages. He also pointed out that Netanyahu convened the Israeli cabinet to approve international forces entering Gaza, raising questions about whether this was a concession linked to the meeting.
Berda emphasized that the key to understanding the US approach lies beyond the Iranian front, focusing instead on advancing comprehensive regional arrangements. He stressed the US interest in renewing and expanding the Abraham Accords and cited recent developments, including Lebanon's president signaling a peace orientation toward Israel and Trump's efforts to involve Rudy Giuliani in addressing Hezbollah. The expert argued that neither Iran nor the US currently wants Israel deeply involved in regional conflicts.
Regarding Israeli domestic politics, Berda predicted that if Netanyahu is given the mandate to form the next government, he will have to heed Trump’s opposition to a fully right-wing government during his tenure. This is because Trump's regional architecture, in which he is heavily invested, cannot progress with such a government. Berda also linked declining American public support for Netanyahu and Israel to broader economic and demographic trends in the US, noting increased antisemitism amid economic hardship and younger Americans' growing criticism of Jewish wealth, which complicates Netanyahu's image in the US.
In summary, Berda portrayed the Netanyahu-Trump meeting as a complex diplomatic signal tied to broader regional peace efforts and internal Israeli political constraints shaped by US strategic interests and shifting American public opinion.
