Trump-Netanyahu rift widens over potential deal with Iran: US TV Report

NEW YORK, May 12 : U.S. President Donald Trump is disengaging from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a report Sunday by NBC News, as deepening divisions over Iran, Gaza and Yemen reshape the once-close relationship between the two leaders. Netanyahu’s concerns come as the latest round of indirect talks between Iran and the US ended in Muscat, with Tehran calling them “difficult, but useful,” and both sides agreeing to hold further negotiations. Israel, however, is “worried about any deal” between Tehran and Washington, said NBC News, citing two US officials and West Asian diplomats. It said that twice in just this past week alone, the US president made public comments that “rankled Netanyahu.” NBC said that Trump’s statement that he had not yet decided whether Iran would be allowed to enrich uranium as part of a potential new nuclear deal had alarmed Netanyahu. Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer relayed the prime minister’s frustration directly to Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, during a meeting at the White House, the report said. According to NBC, Netanyahu was also dismayed by Trump’s broader shift toward diplomacy over confrontation with Tehran. Israeli officials said the prime minister had hoped to secure American backing for a possible Israeli military strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure during a White House visit last month. Instead, Trump reportedly told Netanyahu he was open to direct negotiations with Iran — a position Netanyahu privately dismissed as a “waste of time,” according to the report. The NBC report paints a picture of mounting Israeli concern that the U.S. is abandoning its hardline approach to Iran. Israeli officials reportedly warned that any deal allowing uranium enrichment would be unacceptable, arguing that Iran is weakened and now is the time to eliminate its nuclear capabilities. They worry that diplomatic talks could close that window, it was pointed out. Gaza has emerged as another flashpoint, with NBC citing American officials who said Trump was frustrated by Israel’s decision to launch a new offensive, which he views as undermining his administration’s plan to rehabilitate the devastated territory. Trump reportedly referred to the campaign as a “wasted effort” that would make reconstruction more difficult. The third area of dispute centers on Yemen at which Netanyahu was blindsided when Trump announced that the U.S. would halt military operations against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels once they agreed to stop attacking shipping lanes. The announcement came just hours after Israel carried out a major strike on Sanaa’s airport, following a Houthi missile that landed near Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. The reported tensions come amid broader signs of a shift in U.S. regional policy. Israeli officials were especially troubled by a Reuters report last week that said Trump is no longer conditioning nuclear cooperation with Saudi Arabia on normalization with Israel — a pillar of previous U.S. strategy in the region. However, Trump’s approach to Iran has been the biggest point of contention with Netanyahu, the report said.