- President Donald Trump insisted on Monday that his relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is "very good" despite the Israeli leader's rejection of a US-led Gaza plan.
- Netanyahu explicitly stated on Sunday that he opposed the Gaza plan, which called for Israel to begin pulling back forces in tandem with disarmament by Hamas.
- Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving leader, is running even or trailing in some polls ahead of October 27 elections, the country's first since the devastating 2023 attack by Hamas that sparked the Gaza war.
- Polls show that the Gaza plan is unpopular with Netanyahu's right-wing base, and far-right members of his cabinet had urged him to kill it.
- Netanyahu until recently campaigned on the strength of his relationship with Trump, who has taken unprecedented steps to back Israel, including moving the US embassy to Jerusalem.
- Trump joined Netanyahu in late February in launching a war against Iran, but the two diverged when Trump sought a ceasefire and subsequent settlement to the conflict as it sapped his popularity and sent oil prices soaring.
- The Gaza plan was the latest stage in a US-brokered ceasefire announced in October that has reduced, but not ended, Israeli operations there.
- Israeli operations in Gaza have killed more than 1,250 Palestinians since the ceasefire, according to the territory's health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority and whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations.
- The Israeli army has reported five deaths in its ranks during the same period.
President Donald Trump asserted on Monday that his relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is 'very good,' despite Netanyahu's recent rejection of a US-led Gaza plan. This plan, which proposed a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces alongside Hamas disarmament, has faced significant backlash from Netanyahu's right-wing base.12345
Netanyahu explicitly opposed the Gaza plan on Sunday, following a week of escalating criticism. Polls indicate that he is either tied or trailing in the lead-up to the October 27 elections, Israel's first since the devastating 2023 Hamas attack that ignited the ongoing Gaza war. The political landscape is further complicated as far-right members of Netanyahu's cabinet have pressured him to abandon the plan, which is unpopular among his supporters.
Historically, Netanyahu has campaigned on his strong ties with Trump, who has made unprecedented moves to support Israel, including relocating the US embassy to Jerusalem. However, their relationship has faced strain, particularly after Trump sought a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict with Iran, diverging from Netanyahu's more aggressive stance.7
Since the ceasefire was announced in October, Israeli operations in Gaza have resulted in over 1,250 Palestinian deaths, according to the territory's health ministry, while the Israeli army has reported five fatalities among its ranks during the same period.
“Netanyahu's rejection comes as he trails in polls ahead of Israel's October 27 elections, with the plan unpopular among his right-wing base. Far-right cabinet members had urged him to kill it, and Israeli operations in Gaza have killed over 1,250 Palestinians since the ceasefire.”
