Overview
- President Donald Trump publicly promoted an interim U.S.-Iran memorandum and rebuked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, urging a “softer touch” toward Hezbollah and pressing for de-escalation in Lebanon.
- Israeli officials and media reported that Washington did not share the memorandum text with Israel before announcing it, a development that heightened Israeli frustration and limited Tel Aviv’s diplomatic leverage.
- Likud has quietly downplayed its Trump ties and shelved campaign material that highlighted the relationship, a sign the party is adjusting its strategy after the White House move.
- Opinion surveys show a drop in support for Netanyahu’s bloc and rising strength for opponents such as Gadi Eisenkot, producing a more fractured electorate and larger numbers of undecided or disengaged right-wing voters.
- Talks to reunify Arab Israeli parties have stalled and ongoing Israeli strikes in Lebanon continue to clash with U.S. diplomacy, creating uncertainty over coalition math in a system where 61 Knesset seats are needed to form a government.