Israel's grip on Middle East politics is under siege as the prospect of war with Iran looms large, raising questions about the country's ability to shape regional developments. Senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have been liaising directly with the Trump administration over a possible attack on Iran, but analysts argue that Israel's influence is waning.
The US now appears to be taking the lead in regional affairs, overriding Israel's objections to admitting Turkiye and Qatar to the board overseeing Gaza's administration. This shift has reduced Israel's control over Syria and Lebanon, where its ambitions are being challenged by the new government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Hezbollah, respectively.
Israel's own domestic troubles have also taken center stage, with Netanyahu facing an inquiry into government failures related to a recent Hamas attack on Israel and ongoing corruption trials. Many analysts believe that a war with Iran would serve as a welcome distraction from these issues.
However, the prospect of such a conflict remains uncertain, even for some senior Israeli officials. "There's a worry that Donald Trump will not strike in Iran," said Mitchell Barak, Netanyahu's former aide. "He'll negotiate a conclusion that's good for him and leave the regime in place." Such concerns highlight the limits of Israel's influence over US policy.
The Israeli public may also be less than enthusiastic about another war with Iran, which would have significant repercussions on Israeli civilians. The threat of such a conflict has already served Netanyahu's purposes, allowing him to maintain control without actually having to act.
The current power dynamic in Israel and the US suggests that Netanyahu is relying on others to do his work. As Yossi Mekelberg, a Chatham House expert, noted, "the righteous have their work done by others." Whether this will prove beneficial or detrimental to Netanyahu remains to be seen.
The US now appears to be taking the lead in regional affairs, overriding Israel's objections to admitting Turkiye and Qatar to the board overseeing Gaza's administration. This shift has reduced Israel's control over Syria and Lebanon, where its ambitions are being challenged by the new government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Hezbollah, respectively.
Israel's own domestic troubles have also taken center stage, with Netanyahu facing an inquiry into government failures related to a recent Hamas attack on Israel and ongoing corruption trials. Many analysts believe that a war with Iran would serve as a welcome distraction from these issues.
However, the prospect of such a conflict remains uncertain, even for some senior Israeli officials. "There's a worry that Donald Trump will not strike in Iran," said Mitchell Barak, Netanyahu's former aide. "He'll negotiate a conclusion that's good for him and leave the regime in place." Such concerns highlight the limits of Israel's influence over US policy.
The Israeli public may also be less than enthusiastic about another war with Iran, which would have significant repercussions on Israeli civilians. The threat of such a conflict has already served Netanyahu's purposes, allowing him to maintain control without actually having to act.
The current power dynamic in Israel and the US suggests that Netanyahu is relying on others to do his work. As Yossi Mekelberg, a Chatham House expert, noted, "the righteous have their work done by others." Whether this will prove beneficial or detrimental to Netanyahu remains to be seen.
! It's like trying to read a novel with too many plot twists and characters - my brain just can't keep up 
. Anyway, I think Israel is losing its grip on the region and it's becoming increasingly clear that the US is taking the lead now 
. The thought of another war with Iran is also super unsettling 
. But what really gets me is how Netanyahu is relying on others to do his work... like, isn't he a PM? Shouldn't he be leading from the front instead of just coasting on other people's efforts? 
... netanyahu's trying to keep his grip on power but all these issues with iran and the us are like, super complicated 
... and honestly, i don't blame him for wanting a distraction from his own problems 
... but war isn't really an option either, right? 
... it's like, netanyahu's lost some of his luster, and now he's kinda relying on others to do the dirty work 
. And Netanyahu's struggling with his own issues - corruption trials and all that 
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. The public in Israel might not even want it, considering how many civilians would get hurt 
. And what if Trump doesn't follow through on the attack? 
It's like Netanyahu's relying on others to do his work - that's a bit concerning 
"
I mean, they're already losing control over Syria and Lebanon, and now it seems like the US is taking the lead 
. It's like they're trying to pull the strings from behind the scenes without actually doing the work themselves 
. So yeah, a war with Iran might just be the ultimate distraction for him... or it could be a recipe for disaster 
. It's hard to say either way right now 
and corruption trials. like, Netanyahu's got his hands full dealing with all that drama on his own plate 
. maybe he thinks the Iran situation is too much to handle? or maybe he just doesn't wanna take the heat for it 
. Like, if Israel's gotta take a hard stance on something, it might as well be against the Ayatollahs' crazy regime. I mean, Netanyahu's been dodging fire for too long, and another distraction is just what he needs to keep the spotlight off his own domestic issues 
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. They can play the hero while the generals do all the dirty work – sounds like a solid strategy to me 
. I mean, they're not used to taking the backseat in regional politics and it's showing. The US is stepping up and that's got to be tough for them. But you know what's even tougher? Netanyahu's own domestic issues 
.
and by the way, remember when Trump was president and he was all about that 'America first' vibe? 
. not sure if Netanyahu's counting on the distraction theory working out for him tho... might just end up being his own worst enemy 
but seriously, if the trump admin is basically doing israel's bidding over there then what does that say about israel's influence in general? it feels like they're just getting pushed around by the big guys 
and honestly, i'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing...on one hand, maybe it means israel gets to focus on more pressing issues at home 
but on the other hand, what happens when they can't get their own way anymore? 
. The more I read about it, the more I think they're losing control. All these senior officials going straight to the US and bypassing Israel is a big deal 
. It's like they're saying, "Hey, we can handle this now". Meanwhile, Netanyahu's got his own domestic problems 
. And Netanyahu is dealing with so many problems at home, it's hard to see how he can focus on something like that 
and what does this say about leadership? is netanyahu really relying on others to save his skin or is he just using it as an excuse to not deal with the real issues? 
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. Netanyahu might be dealing with some internal issues, but that's just giving him an excuse to get others to do his dirty work 
. But let's not forget, the Israeli public isn't exactly clamoring for war with Iran... that would be a major distraction from all the corruption scandals Netanyahu has been facing 
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. And honestly, if a war with Iran happens, it'll just make Israel's life more complicated with all those refugees pouring in 
. Not to mention the US is basically taking control of the situation now, so Israel's influence is slowly fading away 
. What's really going on here? Is Netanyahu trying to cling to power or what?