Beyond Bibi |
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| Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photos: Alessandra Benedetti/Corbis and Win McNamee/Getty Images |
| President Trump has endorsed Benjamin Netanyahu in Tuesday’s Israeli election. But some Trump advisers see opportunity for his Middle East agenda in a government led by someone else, U.S. officials tell Axios’ Barak Ravid. Why it matters: Trump has never worked with an Israeli prime minister other than Netanyahu, and doesn’t personally know any of the other candidates. The two have forged a close but often turbulent relationship. “He’s the devil he knows,” a Trump adviser said, describing the president’s view of Netanyahu. Driving the news: After weeks of hesitation, Trump endorsed Netanyahu last Sunday — and even suggested his defeat would have consequences for U.S.-Israel relations. Many of Trump’s closest advisers opposed his decision to endorse Netanyahu, believing the president should stay out of the Israeli election, according to sources familiar with the discussions. Vice President Vance notably declined to follow Trump’s lead when asked about the election this week, amid growing hostility toward Netanyahu in parts of the MAGA movement. “I’m not attacking Bibi Netanyahu,” Vance told reporters. “I’m not endorsing Bibi Netanyahu. I think the president’s endorsement is ultimately what matters.” Zoom in: The vice president is among those close to Trump who became disillusioned with Netanyahu during the war with Iran.Vance and some top aides believe Netanyahu’s pre-war assessments to the White House were mistaken, deepening questions about whether he remains the best partner for achieving Trump’s regional ambitions. The big picture: Once the Israeli election and U.S. midterms are over, Trump will face a defining choice for his Middle East agenda — whether to join Netanyahu in another major military operation against Iran.Netanyahu is eager to move forward. But the election results could influence Trump’s decision, or at least the timing of any renewed large-scale fighting. Trump also wants to move beyond the Iran war and pursue an ambitious diplomatic agenda that includes implementing his Gaza peace plan, brokering deals between Israel and Lebanon and Syria, and ultimately securing a historic Israeli-Saudi peace agreement. Whether Trump can make progress on those goals will depend in part on who governs Israel — and what kind of coalition emerges from Tuesday’s vote What to watch: Polls point to a potential political deadlock.Neither Netanyahu nor his main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, appears to have a clear path to the 61 seats needed to form a government. Share this story. |
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Beyond Bibi
Zoom in: The vice president is among those close to Trump who became disillusioned with Netanyahu during the war with Iran.
The big picture: Once the Israeli election and U.S. midterms are over, Trump will face a defining choice for his Middle East agenda —
What to watch: Polls point to a potential political deadlock.