Jerusalem:Before the inauguration of the Knesset, Israeli writer Shlomo Shamir analyzes the potential impact of the US midterm elections on the relationship between Israel and the United States. He highlights that the Republican Party's defeat has shifted the political landscape in Washington, influencing President Donald Trump's attitude towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to Maan News Agency, Shamir's article in the Maariv newspaper discusses Gadi Eisenkot, the head of the Yeshar party, who has 28 days to negotiate and form a new Israeli government. However, Shamir suggests that the actual time is much shorter due to the urgency of establishing a government that affects Israel's international standing, particularly in the Western world.
Shamir notes a lack of awareness among Israeli politicians regarding the connection between the composition of the Israeli government and the country's international reputation. He refers to a recent interview with President Trump on CBS's "60 Minutes," where Trump's tone towards Netanyahu appeared annoyed, indicating a decline in Netanyahu's standing with the US president.
Shamir also cites a veteran Washington political analyst who claims that Netanyahu is no longer popular within Trump's inner circle or the White House. The analyst suggests that Israel is not a priority for Trump following the Republican Party's midterm defeat, which Trump reportedly attributes to his association with Netanyahu, seen as a public relations relationship rather than a genuine friendship.
The writer argues that the election results have weakened Trump's influence on domestic and foreign policy due to the Democratic majority in Congress and the Senate, which could obstruct his decisions. This situation presents Israel with an opportunity to restore bipartisan American support, a goal he believes was neglected by Netanyahu's government.
Shamir concludes that forming a new Israeli government without figures like Itamar Ben-Gvir, Bezalel Smotrich, and Netanyahu could revive bipartisan support from the US, which should be a primary objective of the next government.