Former Netanyahu Aide Says Trump Deal May Leave PM Exposed

A new announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump about reaching an agreement with Iran is stirring political debate in Israel, especially over its impact on his relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump’s recent sharp remarks about Netanyahu, calling him “a very difficult man” and saying he should be “grateful” to the United States, have raised questions about how durable their cooperation remains.

Speaking Monday morning on 103FM, former Netanyahu communications adviser Aviv Bushinsky said Netanyahu is unlikely to abandon the alliance, even if the personal tension is obvious. He said Netanyahu is “very practical” and “instrumental,” noting that despite anger and disappointment, he still congratulated Trump. Bushinsky added that powerful forces inside the U.S. political system, including evangelical supporters and many Republicans, are strong enough to preserve the relationship.

Bushinsky argued that Trump is not looking for escalation in the region right now. “There are elections in 100 days,” he said, adding that if “60 days” pass without developments, starting a war “three months before the elections” would make little sense. He pointed to rising stock markets and falling oil prices as reasons Trump would not want renewed conflict.

He also offered a bleak assessment of Netanyahu’s domestic position, saying the prime minister is “humiliated” and has not produced practical results, including on Lebanon and Hezbollah. “We do not know how the issue in Lebanon will look,” Bushinsky said, asking what gains Israel has achieved against Hezbollah and saying, “Right now the situation is not good.” He concluded that Netanyahu needs Trump’s support to secure some other diplomatic gain, but said it is unlikely the current deal will collapse in a way that lets Netanyahu claim vindication before elections. Bushinsky added that if Netanyahu sees himself trailing in polls and the opposition nearing a majority, he may choose to quit, saying the most embarrassing outcome for him would be losing to a former aide, Naftali Bennett, or a similar figure.