Netanyahu, Trump on collision course as US-Iran agree to halt war

JERUSALEM, June 15: Benjamin Netanyahu bet that his joint war alongside Donald Trump would topple Iran's clerical rulers and bolster himself ahead of elections at home, as the architect of a U.S.-Israeli alliance that would reshape the Middle East.

Instead, Israel's longest-serving prime minister is on a collision course with Trump as the U.S. president seeks to extricate himself from the war, with both men's goals unmet and Israeli military operations tied down in Lebanon.

For now, Israeli officials have been cautious in public for fear of angering their most important ally, known for being prickly towards critics.

But in private conversations, the frustration is clear. The preliminary agreement is "terrible for Israel," said one senior Israeli official, giving a frank assessment on condition of anonymity. "And there is no one in the Israeli leadership who views it otherwise, from the prime minister to the chief of staff."

Washington says that over the next 60 days, when a ceasefire is in place, it will negotiate full terms that will address U.S. and Israeli concerns, especially over Iran's nuclear programme.

But Israeli officials told Reuters they thought the negotiating period under the deal was likely to be extended, tying Israel's hands from taking military action, while its concerns remain unresolved.

Netanyahu and Trump have repeatedly clashed over Israel's refusal to constrain its pursuit of Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, where a cessation of hostilities is a key Iranian demand.�" REUTERS