But Israel\u2019s bombing of south Lebanon and Beirut continues<\/a>, the Israeli military presence in Lebanon remains and Israel\u2019s leaders remain adamant they will not withdraw. So where does Israel feature in this deal and how will it respond?<\/p>\n The terms of the deal remain confidential, and will only be revealed after the signing has taken place. But reports suggest<\/a> that the US will be responsible for constraining Israeli military activity in Lebanon. Iran, meanwhile, appears to see the two states as one adversary in this war<\/a>. <\/p>\n Over the past year, questions about the relationship between Trump and Netanyahu have regularly been asked<\/a>, highlighting the divergent approaches to Iran and the broader security environment of the Middle East taken by the two states. The Israeli strike on Hamas targets in the Qatari capital of Doha<\/a> in the summer of 2025 provoked much anger, prompting the White House to release an image of Netanyahu on the phone with the emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, while Donald Trump looked on, clearly unimpressed. <\/p>\n Leaked comments during the war with Iran have highlighted the extent of frustration felt by Trump towards Netanyahu. Speaking with Axios, a US media outlet, on June 14, Trump fumed<\/a>: \u201cWhy did BB have to do a fucking attack? I was so pissed off. I let him know he has no fucking judgement. I let him know that.\u201d Trump later warned Israel on Truth Social not to \u201cblow it\u201d. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Two weeks earlier, Trump and Netanyahu had an angry phone call<\/a> about Israel\u2019s threats to resume air strikes. In a conversation reported by Axios, Trump shouted: \u201cWhat the fuck are you doing? You\u2019re fucking crazy. You\u2019d be in prison if it weren\u2019t for me. I\u2019m saving your ass. Everyone hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this\u201d.<\/p>\n The tensions between the two men also reflect considerable strategic divisions emerging between Israel and the US. The two countries have long been close diplomatic partners, with shared strategic and ideological visions for the future of the Middle East. Support for Israel has been a cornerstone of domestic US politics alongside US foreign policy \u2013 prompting widespread reflection on the strategic merits of such an approach. <\/p>\n An article<\/a> by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt, American political scientists, later turned into a book, engaged with the topic, questioning if the US-Israeli relationship was a consequence of \u201clove or the lobby\u201d, with a clear reference to the pressure exerted on US politicians by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee \u2013 widely regarded as one of the most powerful lobbying groups in America<\/a> with considerable influence on US policy.<\/p>\n \n Yet the strategic goals of the two states now appear to be in direct conflict. For the US, ensuring that the memorandum of understanding is signed and a final deal is reached with Iran is of paramount importance. For Israel, where public opinion is largely in favour of the war<\/a> with Iran as well as conflict with Hezbollah, the memorandum signals capitulation and provoked deep anger.<\/p>\n Many in Israel are calling on the government to reject the deal. One of Netanyahu\u2019s coalition members, finance minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, declared that Israel must not accept the US ceasefire. <\/p>\n In an effort to distance Israel from the US, Ben-Gvir declared that<\/a> \u201ca sovereign state is not a contractor for any superpower. It is not bound by agreements that block its ability to protect its people\u201d. He argued that Israel \u201cmust continue to demolish the houses in southern Lebanon \u2026 We must continue to be independent.\u201d <\/p>\n Israel Katz, Israel\u2019s defence minister, vowed that Israeli military will remain in southern Lebanon promising to retaliate<\/a> if Iran hits Israel in support of Lebanon. <\/p>\nDivergent strategies<\/h2>\n
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\n What is the Israel lobby \u2013 and why is it so anxious?<\/a>
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