JERUSALEM, June 15 — Signs of increasing tension have appeared between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump following a preliminary agreement between the United States and Iran aimed at stopping hostilities and opening negotiations for a broader settlement.
The proposed agreement, which would establish a temporary ceasefire while negotiators work toward a longer-term arrangement, has prompted concern among Israeli officials who fear key security issues may remain unresolved during the negotiation period.
According to officials familiar with the discussions, Israel is worried that an extended diplomatic process could limit its military options while questions surrounding Iran's nuclear activities and regional influence remain under negotiation.
Publicly, Israeli leaders have been measured in their response, reflecting the strategic importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship. Privately, however, some officials have voiced frustration with the framework under discussion. One senior Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the preliminary arrangement as unfavourable from Israel's perspective.
The United States has indicated that a ceasefire period would be used to negotiate broader terms addressing concerns related to Iran's nuclear programme and regional security.
The reported differences come after months of disagreement between Washington and Jerusalem on military operations in Lebanon involving Hezbollah. U.S. officials have tried to avoid measures that could undermine diplomatic efforts with Tehran, while Israeli leaders have insisted they must hold on to their freedom of action against security threats.
Netanyahu in remarks in Jerusalem admitted he and Trump sometimes disagreed but said his government would continue to make decisions that are in Israel's security interests.
“He is the president of the United States. I am the prime minister of Israel,” Netanyahu said. “We see eye-to-eye many times and there are times we see eye-to-eye less so.
The developments also have domestic political ramifications for Netanyahu who faces elections later this year with support falling in some opinion polls.
Washington and Jerusalem have a “significant gap” in priorities, Dan Shapiro, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel, said, pointing to the situation. He said Israel would likely refrain from direct public confrontation with the Trump administration, while leaving open the possibility of acting independently if necessary.
The memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran is expected to be finalised in Switzerland, the report said. The deal would aim to stop military operations on a number of fronts, including Lebanon, mediators have said, while wider talks take place.
Netanyahu has said Israeli forces will stay in southern Lebanon and Israel intends to keep what he described as operational freedom to respond to attacks by Hezbollah.
The plan reportedly allows normal commercial traffic to resume in the Strait of Hormuz and defers final decisions on Iran's nuclear programme to later negotiations.
Several Israeli officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to publicly discuss the issue, said they expect the initial period of negotiations to be extended beyond its original timetable. Some also admitted that Israel had been caught unprepared by signals from Washington that a deal with Iran was close to being finalised, and said Israeli efforts to influence the talks had been of limited impact.
The long-term implications of the proposed agreement for regional security, Iran's nuclear activities and relations between Washington and Jerusalem remain uncertain as negotiations continue.
