Yet another comical scene in the farce that is Trump-era American politics: the Prime Minister of Israel heard that his nemesis, the Foreign Minister of Iran was heading for a meeting at the G-7. He feared that Donald Trump would take a meeting with Javad Zarif, at the behest of Emmanuel Macron, who has made no bones about the fact that his ultimate goal is to broker a meeting between Trump and Hassan Rhouani, and this could have been the first step. No way Benjamin Netanyahu was going to stand for that. He frantically telephoned the White House — and Trump wouldn’t take his call. Then Netanyahu had his office phone a number of senior advisers to Trump (Jared, maybe?) and still Trump didn’t pick up the phone. Axios:
Between the lines: The Israelis were worried that Trump — who loves making a deal and relishes the drama of an unconventional meeting (think Kim Jong-un) — would let French President Emmanuel Macron talk him into holding an unscheduled meeting with Zarif.
-
The Israelis feared that a Zarif meeting could have made Trump more likely to agree to a meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani — leading to a showy summit and a long, open-ended diplomatic process that would take the pressure off of the Iranian regime.
Why it matters: Netanyahu’s urgent attempts to get Trump on the phone showed the deep nervousness in Israel about possible renewed talks between the U.S. and Iran.
-
Netanyahu saw Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal as a signature foreign policy achievement — and one that remains essential to Israel’s security. Any loosening of Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran could create tension with America’s closest ally in the Middle East.
And don’t lose sight of the fact that the same weekend as G-7, Netanyahu launched an airstrike over it’s northern border into Syria, purportedly to knock out an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps special unit that, according to Israeli officials, was plotting drone attacks against Israeli targets. Pundits were quick to point out that the fact that Netanyahu may have really been trying to look good ahead of Israel’s September election, could have been a motivating factor for the maneuver.
-
Netanyahu ultimately spoke with Vice President Mike Pence and Pompeo.
What we’re hearing: U.S. officials said Trump decided not to meet Zarif regardless of Netanyahu’s messages, and they told the Israelis of Trump’s decision on Sunday. They said when Trump finished his G7 meetings that day, administration officials asked the Israelis if they wanted to connect the call with Netanyahu, but there was no need because Trump had already decided not to hold the meeting.
- Senior Israeli officials said that although Trump didn’t meet Zarif, they think direct talks between the U.S. and Iran are just a matter of time – and not a lot of time.
- The Israeli officials said they are concerned that a meeting between Trump and Rouhani could take place as soon as the UN general assembly opens in New York at the end of September.
Netanyahu is not pleased with these new developments, as he undoubtedly told Pompeo and Pence, the Mutt and Jeff of foreign affairs, along with Mr. Lego Batman, Mnuchin, who was also in attendance at G-7. This isn’t over. Watch for Netanyahu to do everything he can to block a Trump meeting with Rhouani. He needs to keep up an appearance of Israel being strong in the world community and also being in control of the crisis with Iran, especially between now and his election day, September 17. He needs Trump to play ball with him and Trump meeting with Rhouani is Netanyahu’s worst nightmare. Al-Monitor:
This is bad news for Netanyahu — the worst he has ever received apart from the criminal charges he faces. The appeasing tones that have suddenly emerged from Trump’s mouth regarding Iran can morph into Israel’s ultimate horror scenario as described here in earlier articles: Iran can turn into a new North Korea. In fact, Trump could turn out to be a sort of demon who changes forms overnight, replacing his campaign against Iran with a sizzling love affair.
Israel does not collect intel on US territory or spy on its greatest friend of all; it learned its lesson from the Pollard affair. That doesn’t mean that Israel doesn’t try to understand American policy, analyze the administration’s moves and congressional influence or elaborate various theoretical scenarios for future American moves. Israel’s best brains are involved in these analyses that are very important to Israel’s national security. But today, the best of the analyzers is at a loss vis-a-vis reality. Evidently, it is harder to predict Trump’s moves than to understand the secret of creation.
Once upon a time, members of the Israeli intelligence used to say that the only thing they absolutely must know at any given moment is what is going on in the head of the neighboring Arab ruler: What is he thinking; what are his plans. Today in Israel, the focus is more on Trump’s head. Is it possible to predict his policies? Is he rational? Emotional? Impulsive? Is there some secret formula that would allow us to understand where he’s heading?
Welcome to our world, Benjy. And remember the axiom, everything that Trump touches dies.
“Israel does not collect intel on US territory or spy on its greatest friend of all; it learned its lesson from the Pollard affair.” And yet for some time it’s been alleged Israeli intelligence offered damaging information to the Trump Administration on its rivals. Israel is not a bad actor on the world stage–not in my opinion, anyway–nor do I believe it intends the US harm, but the Netanyahu government can’t have it both ways, especially if it’s engaged in aiding and abetting the Trump crime family.
And you’re 100% correct, Ms. Faw: everything Trump touches dies.
Netanyahu absolutely can’t have it both ways. It will be interesting to see what Macron comes up with insofar as brokering a meeting with Trump and Rhouani. Macron knows he’s humoring a lunatic, Trump. I admire his efforts. I have often fantasized about what he and Justin Trudeau, who are good friends, I’m told, say about Trump when they’re alone. Oh, to be a fly on the wall.
To anyone who thinks Israel doesn’t spy on the U.S. both here and abroad I’ve got a special “discount” card on Trump Steaks, Trump Vodka & upgrades on the Trump Shuttle to sell them. Of COURSE Israel spies on us! And we spy on them. Everyone with intelligence services spies on others including their allies.
I have my problems with Israel and have had them for a long time but most of them would be fairly minor if they had different leadership that that which has prevailed during so much of my lifetime. Admittedly as a jarhead who joined up when Beirut was a thing some of my feelings are personal. I admit that. Goings on there do color my perceptions and I can never be sure I’m being completely objective. Still, Israel has a long history of doing whatever the fuck it has felt like doing while knowing the outrage it would cause and all too often (if not most of the time) not giving a flying fuck about the problems they cause for their most important ally which is US.
Having said that I can’t get too worked up about them spying on us because as I said we do it to them and other allies who also spy on us. Hell, with this administration I’d imagine our allies are working overtime spying on us trying to figure out WTF will happen next and how much they might be able to count on us in the years ahead.
However no one should kid themselves into believing that Pollard cause Israel to stop spying on us. And no one should forget their fury that we actually put his ass in jail and as far as I’m concerned he should have died in a U.S. federal prison. I’d guess Israel became a lot more careful (they have always been pretty arrogant about their capabilities) but they have continued nonetheless. What could be interesting is whether with the Trump administration they’ve gotten careless again.
I agree that anyone who thinks Israel doesn’t spy on us is mistaken. Everybody gathers intel, friend and foe which is why Trump refusing to use a secure phone is a huge problem. I’ve always supported Israel’s right to exist but Netenyahu’s treatment of Palestinians is abhorrent. They too have the right to exist. Trump’s preferential treatment of Israel means that they will pay a heavy price once he is gone. People are going to want a clean slate to rid us of Trump’s stench. Israel has taken advantage of having a useful idiot. I believe that they will regret it. Iran will be part of that.
(I’m old and remember Beirut as the jewel of the Middle East. What a glorious city it was. I actually spent New Year’s 1969 in Beirut. The Israelis commandos bombed the airport runway for the first time while I was there.)
They don’t die straight away though, their lives may be short but their deaths are long.
Look at the length of time it has taken for Ghouliani to completely wither away.
Dimwit Donny is surrounded by ‘not quite dead’ yet semi-zombies.
So Trump might be open to a sweetheart deal with Iran? Setting aside the Israelis in doing so? Wow, that sounds like something cooked up in the basement of the Kremlin, it links up so nicely with Russian foreign policy. THAT is what Benjamin fears, but cannot say out loud. Coming into an election year, Trump might have to choose allies, and Putin is going to put maximum pressure on Trump, squeezing every last policy he can out of his troubled pet.
Agree. If Trump has to choose between loyalty to Netanyahu or Putin, that’s a no brainer. And Netanyahu knows it. That’s why he was so frantically trying to get hold of Trump.
Look at that orange asshole wearing a yarmulke. He makes me SO sick!!!
That ridiculous combover has to take a ton of time & maybe his hair stylist was rushed & couldn’t quite cover up all the bald so they went with the yarmulke.
Not so funny but true story. My grandfather was an evil, disgusting sonofabitch and a real live card carrying Klansman. Actually he didn’t cary his card in his wallet because he didn’t want it to ever become worn or soiled so it sat propped up on furniture in his bedroom. Btw, he’d been a police caption in a decent sized southern town before he had to take his family & flee in the middle of the night with the Klan’s help. They got him a job in southern Illinois where eventually I’d be born and grow up. Anyway, like all men on both sides of my family he lost his hair and when I was a kid he somehow got hold of a cheap, no frills yarmulke and started wearing it around the house “to keep his head warm.” You’d think a federal railroad cop would have encountered enough Jewish people or seen enough of them on the news to realize what he was wearing but the dumbass racist piece of shit never made the connection. Knowing how badly he’d freak out if anyone in the family told him we waited until someone visiting their house did. We thought it was funny as hell of course but made damned sure he was out and about in town when making jokes about it including hoping he’d start wearing the thing out in town so he’d do the major part of his freak out where he couldn’t really act out – and would have a chance to cool down as he drove home. Anyway, the moment came when their landlord’s wife of all people (she like my “granny’) slipped up and made a comment. As expected he went fucking ballistic but somewhere in that diseased mind of his he realized that he was in fact wearing the same thing “those goddamned Jews” wear. Fortunately he didn’t want to make a scene in the house with that particular lady there and stormed out for a drive. When he came back his head was bar – he never wore the thing again. Btw, for those who don’t know Jews, Catholics and frankly anyone who isn’t a white, Anglo Saxon Protestant is the same as a black person – not even a human being in the eyes of a true Klansman.
My father’s father was bald with a wide fringe around the edge. I think we have *one* photo of him without a hat on – in all the others he’s wearing a hat of some kind. Fedora, or a straw hat in summer, the kind wasn’t important.
I heard the spots in Syria that Bibi sent attacks at were places where the targets were fighting ISIS. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot!
What did you expect, Netanyahu? Because if it was the same line of thinking that Republican officeholders had on Trump–i.e. he’s another Reagan who can be controlled–you deserved the knife you fear is aimed at your back.
Memo to Israeli analysts: Trump isn’t complicated. He might bully vulnerable refugees and immigrants if he can get away–kind of like how YOUR government, if not all its people, treat minorities within your borders–but he’ll never pull that on a sovereign nation like Iran, especially after the Yemen raid disaster. Those folks, he constantly fantasizes about making a deal…again, kind of like how he did with your government.