Trump, Netanyahu differences over Iran, Gaza widen as US president to skip Israel on his Middle East trip

By Asiye Latife Yilmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) - US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are increasingly at odds over key Middle East issues, with tensions deepening ahead of Trump’s regional visit that will notably exclude Israel.

The two leaders, who were once closely aligned on Iran and Gaza, now disagree sharply on how to address both crises.

Trump is pushing for diplomatic engagement with Tehran and an end to the war in Gaza, while Netanyahu continues to advocate military pressure, including strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

According to a recent report in the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, Trump and his team have “simply had enough” of Netanyahu’s refusal to align with Washington’s evolving regional approach.

In his early term, Trump backed Israeli strikes in Gaza, reversed a Biden-era pause on bomb shipments, and classified Yemen’s Houthi group as a terrorist organization. He repeatedly called for Gaza to be “taken over” and resettled, even suggesting turning it into a tourist hub.

But in recent months, Trump has shifted. He halted military action against Iranian-backed Houthis and is now pursuing direct talks with Tehran.

A US official told NBC News that Israeli leaders are “worried about any deal” involving Iran.

Netanyahu was reportedly angered by Trump’s hesitation to bar uranium enrichment in a potential nuclear agreement. His aides raised those concerns with Trump’s Middle East envoy, who later criticized Israel’s new military offensive in Gaza, calling instead for a cease-fire and hostage deal.

Netanyahu’s government insists that Washington must reject any outcome short of Iran’s full nuclear dismantlement. Israeli officials fear that new negotiations could waste what they see as a rare strategic edge after their reported airstrike last October severely damaged Iran’s air defenses.

Trump’s upcoming Middle East trip begins on Tuesday and will include stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, but not Israel. The itinerary and the widening policy gap signal a cooling in ties between the two leaders, who once moved in lockstep.