RIA Novosti reports that, citing Israeli officials, American media have written: "Given the political cost to the U.S. domestic landscape and the impact on the global economy, Israeli officials doubt whether Trump can continue this war."
Source insiders also noted a noticeable decline in communication between Netanyahu and Trump, and expressed suspicion that the U.S. leader might shift blame for the prolonged conflict with Iran onto Israel's prime minister.
This report reveals subtle rifts emerging between the U.S. and Israel after nearly three months of ongoing warfare. In short, Israel is experiencing anxiety over being abandoned—fearing both that Trump may be forced to halt the war due to mounting internal and external pressures, and that it could become a scapegoat for the conflict in the future.
Israel is particularly anxious that Trump might pin the blame for the war stalemate on them. Within U.S. high-level circles, there are already voices claiming that Netanyahu "persuaded" or even "coerced" the U.S. into entering the conflict. If Trump decides to pull back, he is likely to attribute the war’s costs to Israel in order to protect his own political image.
The report notes that communication between Netanyahu and Trump has clearly diminished. After an initial phase of close collaboration akin to that of "close comrades," their relationship has shifted from "conspiracy" to mutual suspicion and emotional distance as the military situation becomes increasingly entrenched.
According to relevant reports, Israel suspects Trump may not be able to continue primarily due to excessive political costs (over $1 billion per day borne by American taxpayers, along with casualties among troops) and economic costs (global inflation, disruption of oil supply routes).
Although RIA Novosti claims Israel doubts Trump’s ability to carry on, some U.S.-Israeli officials have leaked that if negotiations yield no progress, Trump might "restart the war" this week. This contradiction either reflects a probing maneuver or indicates deep internal divisions. More intriguingly, Netanyahu is reportedly planning another visit to the U.S. in an attempt to persuade Trump—but analysts believe it will be much harder this time to convince him, as was done in February.
Externally, the current state of U.S.-Israel relations represents a classic dilemma: Netanyahu seeks to draw the U.S. deeper into the conflict to address existential threats, while Trump has come to realize the quagmire is far deeper than anticipated. The current signals suggest this round of Middle East war may be approaching a critical turning point, placing the U.S.-Israel alliance under severe strain.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864472183058444/
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