International newspapers and websites dealt with the position of Israel in the new policies of US President Donald Trump, amid the escalation of criticism of the Israeli government’s performance in the Gaza Strip and the decline in the attractiveness of the “full victory” speech in exchange for the increasing talk about Tel Aviv has become just a secondary player who does not have policies, but rather adheres to it.
In an article by the Israeli newspaper Maariv, Trump was described as imposing a new global reality in which Israel is no longer the country that sets the rules, but rather the country that it complies with.
The newspaper considered that the recent Trump tour in the Middle East was a clear indication of a fundamental change in its strategy towards Israel.
The article added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was unable to manage matters according to his will in the recent regional developments, which indicates a decline in his political influence and his ability to influence the course of events as it was in the past.
Israel is stuck in Gaza
For its part, the Washington Post indicated that the escalation in Gaza is still continuing despite the end of the Trump tour of the region, but it has not yet reached the level of threats that Netanyahu made, which was interpreted by observers with a reassessment from the latter for his military and political options.
The newspaper quoted Michael Coplo, chief policy official at the Israeli Policy Forum, as saying that the Israeli government appears to be “stuck” in what it wants to do on Gaza, amid conflicting opinions and clear frequency in taking decisive steps on the ground.
In an analysis of the Haaretz newspaper, the slogan “Achieving the complete victory” was considered by Netanyahu, losing its attractiveness to the majority of the Israelis, in light of the clear shift in the popular mood that prefers the safety of the hostages over the option of the comprehensive extermination of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
The newspaper added that recent opinion polls reflect this transformation, noting that the concept of “complete victory” with Netanyahu and his extremist allies go beyond the mere elimination of Hamas, as they do not even consider its full defeat a victory if they have not achieved broader ideological goals.
Trump’s frustration
As for the British Guardian newspaper, it highlighted Trump’s increasing frustration with Netanyahu, considering that the reason for this is due to the latter’s failure to contribute to achieving stability in the Middle East, which Trump sees as inconsistent with American interests.
The article stated that Trump more than once expressed his desire to end the war on Gaza and keep it away from the media, but Netanyahu did not achieve this goal, which increases tension in their relationship, and weakens Netanyahu’s chances of maintaining Trump’s support in the future.
The newspaper added that the continuation of the war without clear results reinforces the impression that the Israeli government lacks a realistic plan to get out of the impasse in Gaza, and that the state of hesitation and contradiction deepens the feeling of political chaos inside Israel.
While Netanyahu faces increasing criticism internally and externally, press readings indicate that today the political cover he had from Washington, especially in light of Trump’s tendency towards a more realistic approach to the region.
