WhatsappIt’s time for a little bit of a push back to the President. It’s not just that President Trump has an oversized view of his role vis-a-vis the State of Israel. He has an oversized view of everything he is involved in. So, this really is no major surprise – it just hasn’t happened often with Israel. It is not simple for people with egos and accomplishments such as those of President Trump to deal with those who get in their way of accomplishing their short-term goals.
100% truth!!! pic.twitter.com/iC3sbJ0ZYV
— Avi Abelow (@aviabelow) June 22, 2026
This is perhaps the 1st time in the 2nd term of President Trump that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is standing in the way of what President Trump wants to accomplish. Bibi’s unwillingness to forfeit Israel’s freedom to fight against the Hizbullah is not a minor disagreement. It is a direct collision of interests between the two great leaders. President Trump wants to go into the summer before the mid-term elections as a President who has brought peace and economic prosperity following a successful short war.
Bibi understands that if he gives in on securing Israel’s north, then the odds of him getting reelected are slim. So, now the chess game is on. I would bet on Bibi Netanyahu. He has shown himself quite adept at dealing with these kinds of situations by ducking, weaving, and seemingly giving in while retaining his strategic goals. He did it with Obama for many years quite effectively. But President Trump is a whole different story.
The real question is Iran – not Bibi. Bibi will not give in even if he has to endure insults from President Trump. It is better for Bibi to appear strong against the Hizbullah then to appear close to President Trump. Will Iran strike against the Gulf States or Israel in order to place President Trump in a bind before the midterms and provoke a conflagration? It is certainly an option. But don’t count out President Trump from surprising everyone with a strategic move that changes the entire situation. The fearlessness of President Trump may very well be on full display if he feels that he needs to do something drastic to get the economy back on track.
