It is rare to witness such a blatant disregard for an Israeli Prime Minister during a visit to Washington, even in the tumultuous days of Netanyahu's relationship with former President Barack Obama. Upon his arrival, Netanyahu was met with an absence of traditional formalities; there were no welcoming parties at the airport, no red carpets rolled out, and conspicuously, no journalists or cameras to document the moment. Instead of the expected pomp and circumstance, he entered the White House almost stealthily, through a back entrance, and departed the same way. One can only hope he didn’t bring any dirty laundry along with him. Instead of capturing photographs to commemorate the occasion, there were ample opportunities for embarrassment, which President Trump seized upon without hesitation. "No one will dictate to me what I sell and to whom," Trump declared after hearing Netanyahu's objections to the sale of F-35 jets to Turkey. He further remarked, "I don’t need to be briefed on intelligence regarding Mount Faz," after learning that Netanyahu intended to present intelligence information about the Iranian site.
The meeting itself was notably brief and lacked any substantial bilateral dialogue. Present at this gathering were Netanyahu’s critics, including Vice President J.D. Vance and his advisor Steve Witkoff. Reports suggest that Netanyahu exercised caution during this encounter: he refrained from pressuring the President for action, did not hint at launching an attack, nor did he unleash the empty theories and statements he has been known for in the past. Instead, he opted to present various options and scenarios, leaving the final decision in Trump's hands. This was a wise and prudent approach, albeit a belated one. It is widely accepted that no child in America believes that Israel led Trump into the Iranian adventure by force.
Aside from perhaps Netanyahu's son, who spends his time in Miami, there is a general consensus that this adventure has been anything but successful. On the other hand, for Israel, this is a matter of existential significance. If it fails, it could very well turn against us. We must continue to hope, as the situation is far from resolved. Should the Iranian regime eventually collapse or should their nuclear program be dismantled, the implications would be monumental. Unfortunately, this seems increasingly like a distant dream.
From a strategic standpoint, we find ourselves at an impasse across the board. Hamas remains defiant, Hezbollah shows no signs of disarming, and while we have temporarily delayed Iran's nuclear program, they continue to negotiate with the Americans regarding the Strait of Hormuz, completely sidelining discussions on nuclear weapons. All of this occurs as Israel's position has reached historic lows, and its relations with the United States are far from ideal. Consequently, from a strategic perspective, we lack the decisive action needed. We have invested enormous kinetic energy only to receive potential energy in return; unlike the principles of physics, we are wasting this energy, which is indeed unfortunate.
As reported by alalam.ir.
