Leading Israeli commentator, Anna Barsky, in Ma’ariv (in Hebrew) writes: “Let [Trump’s] plan in Gaza – fail”.

“An Israeli ‘waiting ploy’ is being formulated: not to hurl out a frontal rejection … [but rather] to bet that reality in the region will take its course”.

“[Yet], the fault line [over] Trump’s Gaza Plan is real … Israel demands a clear order: First, the disarmament of Hamas, i.e., first its actual removal from power, and only after that – reconstruction, international power and Israeli withdrawal”.

And here’s the ‘rub’: “The Prime Minister’s Office understands that Trump, apparently, does not intend to accept the Israeli ‘precondition’ formula”. “And here is the heart of the problem … which is that Hamas does not intend to disarm or leave the territory”.

Thus …“The Gulf states, Egypt, and also significant parts of the American establishment, propose a different order: First, reconstruction and an international mechanism are created, then a stabilisation force and a technocratic government are introduced, and then ‘in the process’, the issue of Hamas – is [only] gradually addressed”.

Thus, the Israeli leadership is both disillusioned and frustrated.

But this is just the tip of the spear. It goes deeper – as Alon Mizrahi points out:

“Israeli leaders are noting that Arab states have not agreed to normalise with Israel. The Jewish nationalists may have their man in the White House, but all he seems to care about is making Arab money. No [West Bank] annexation; no Iran [regime change] and now an ‘insulting’ demand for a ‘Phase 2’ in Gaza, where Israel is supposed to not only tolerate a foreign military presence, but also allow reconstruction to take place”.

The problem is the increasingly strategic divergence of interests between Netanyahu and Trump: They diverge not only on Trump’s Gaza plan, but on Syria (where U.S. Envoy Tom Barrack is seen to side with Turkey’s stance) and on Lebanon where Washington is seen to side with Beirut.

“Trump needs an achievement. He needs to sign something”. Whereas Israel’s goals are to maintain the freedom of military action that it currently enjoys in Syria and Lebanon, but which disturbs and disrupts U.S. efforts to orchestrate headline-catching agreements between Israel and regional powers.

Trump wants a Nobel prize and judging by his recent statements, feels that Netanyahu is not ‘providing the goods’ — a feeling of disillusion that is reciprocated in the Israeli Prime Minister’s office.

Ben Caspit 

© Eurasia Review