For Israel's Netanyahu, Trump grants prayers with some unwelcome caveats

"Through five years in the White House, Trump answered some of their biggest prayers. He moved the American Embassy to Jerusalem, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and ripped up the Iran nuclear deal. U.N. funding for Palestinian refugees was gutted. Jewish settlers in the West Bank, once condemned by Washington, are now getting their own U.S. passport office."

"A full-scale attack on Iran by the largest buildup of U.S. forces since the Iraq War was something Netanyahu had beseeched American presidents - Republican and Democratic - to carry out for decades. It was also, by a wide margin, the most consequential bet these two political high rollers have taken together."

"For Netanyahu, the risk is that Trump's involvement won't be enough to reverse his anemic electoral hopes. The prime minister - who will face traumatized Israeli voters this year while still trying to escape accountability for the catastrophic security failures of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack - is betting the war will prove to be the latest lifeline in a political career defined by magic-trick comebacks."

During his presidency, Trump implemented policies strongly favored by Netanyahu and the Israeli right, including moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, and reducing U.N. funding for Palestinian refugees. In February, Trump authorized a full-scale U.S. military attack on Iran, marking the largest military buildup since the Iraq War. This represents Netanyahu's long-sought objective and the most consequential joint action between the two leaders. However, both face significant risks: the widening war threatens regional stability beyond their control, while Netanyahu hopes the conflict will boost his struggling electoral prospects ahead of Israeli elections and help him escape accountability for October 7 security failures.

Read at The Washington Post