WANA (Jul 09) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s latest visit to the United States comes at a time when the Gaza crisis and the fallout from the 12-day war with Iran have placed unprecedented pressure on Israel’s domestic and foreign policy. Although Tel Aviv is seeking to present this trip as a show of unity with Washington, evidence points to serious differences in priorities and goals between the two sides.

 

Main Focus: Gaza, Not Iran

The primary agenda item for this visit is the humanitarian and security crisis in Gaza. Washington has asked Israel to take concrete steps toward a ceasefire, facilitating humanitarian aid, and reducing regional tensions. Meanwhile, Netanyahu is trying to keep Iran as the central threat on the agenda, aiming to divert Washington’s attention from international pressure to address the Gaza crisis.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister meeting. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Pushing for Renewed U.S. Strikes on Iran

From Tel Aviv’s perspective, the limited U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities during the recent conflict was insufficient to deter Tehran. In this trip, Netanyahu is seeking to persuade the U.S. administration—under certain conditions—to launch renewed, broader attacks on Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure. Analysts believe that, at least for now, Washington views this option with deep skepticism, given concerns about wider regional war and domestic opposition.

 

Leveraging Trump to Pressure for Normalization

Another key goal of Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump is to secure his support for stronger pressure on Saudi Arabia and other Arab states to normalize relations with Israel. Netanyahu hopes to capitalize on Trump’s personal influence and ties with certain Arab governments to accelerate this process. However, the regional landscape after the war with Iran and the Gaza crisis has introduced new obstacles to normalization and raised its political costs for Arab actors.

Netanyahu gave Trump a Jewish amulet as a gift. It was shaped like a B-2 bomber and made from pieces of Iranian missiles. An amulet is an object believed to ward off harm / WANA News Agency

Netanyahu gave Trump a Jewish amulet as a gift. It was shaped like a B-2 bomber and made from pieces of Iranian missiles. An amulet is an object believed to ward off harm / WANA News Agency

Trump’s Cautious View on War with Iran

Despite the traditional alliance between Trump and Netanyahu, reports indicate that the U.S. president harbors serious doubts about restarting a war with Iran. Trump has reportedly told his advisers that Israel took heavy, costly hits in the recent conflict, and that any new direct clash could become uncontrollable and damaging.

 

Seeking New Conditions for Talks with Iran

Ultimately, Netanyahu is using this trip to coordinate with U.S. allies on setting new red lines and conditions for any future agreement with Iran. Tel Aviv wants tougher restrictions, stricter monitoring, and more unilateral terms on Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. But the failure of the previous “maximum pressure” model—and the realities on the ground after direct exchanges of fire with Tehran—have made even Washington’s traditional allies wary of embracing these demands.

 

More than anything, Netanyahu’s latest visit to the U.S. is an attempt to manage Israel’s simultaneous domestic and foreign crises and secure American support in the difficult aftermath of the 12-day war with Iran. But the differences in priorities—from the Gaza issue to the approach on Iran—and Washington’s own political and electoral constraints suggest that Netanyahu faces an uphill battle in imposing his agenda. The outcome of this trip could shape the trajectory of regional tensions and Middle Eastern security dynamics in the months ahead.