Trump faces Israeli anger over Iran deal, accused of 'betrayal'

A significant rift has emerged between the United States and Israel following President Donald Trump's interim deal with Iran, with major Israeli publications accusing the U.S. leader of abandoning Israel to its perceived primary adversary. The agreement, detailing terms for ending a joint U.S.-Israeli focus on Iran, has dominated headlines and fueled public and political outrage in Israel. Analysts describe a profound sense of betrayal among Israelis. One particularly sharp critique, published in the influential newspaper Israel Hayom, characterized the deal as a "surrender agreement with a murderous and cruel terror regime." The op-ed, styled as a letter to Trump, accused him of initiating a new war and causing national humiliation, even surpassing the criticism from some Israeli politicians. This criticism intensified with comparisons to former President Barack Obama's reaction, suggesting mockery towards Trump for signing what Obama had previously called the "worst ever" deal. The sentiment reflects a deep-seated "phobia" and an "all-encompassing sense of American betrayal of Israel," according to Hagai Ram, a professor at Ben Gurion University. Trump, once highly popular in Israel, is now viewed as a "villain" by some due to this agreement. While the U.S.-Israel alliance is historically one of the closest, this dispute over the Iran Memorandum of Understanding marks a notable spat. For many Israelis, Iran represents an existential threat, and the war against it is often portrayed as such. The current disagreement, however, has not fundamentally broken the longstanding strategic alliance, though it has exposed deep-seated anxieties and frustrations regarding U.S. policy toward Iran.

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You could have been the greatest president of all, but you failed.