Netanyahu pushes for Iran conflict, clashing with Trump’s priorities

US President’s Visit to Mar-a-Lago to Meet with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu

Washington, DC - The visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to US President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Sunday will focus on Iran’s missile programme. Netanyahu has been warning of a grave Iranian threat to Israel and the world for over 30 years.

In June, the US bombed Tehran’s nuclear facilities, following warnings from Netanyahu. However, analysts suggest that Netanyahu is still seeking military actions against Iran, despite Trump’s stated foreign policy priorities. Sina Toossi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy think tank, notes that Netanyahu’s goals are centered around unchallenged dominance and expansionism in the region.

Trump has been pushing to deepen economic cooperation and forge diplomatic ties between Israel and Arab states. However, Netanyahu is seeking military domination over the region. Toossi argues that this desire for perpetual US involvement reflects Israel’s aim for unchallenged hegemony.

The National Security Strategy released by Trump’s administration describes the Middle East as a place of partnership, friendship, and investment. However, analysts suggest that Israel is lobbying for a war that could drag Washington into conflict. In the past, Israel has used Iran’s nuclear programme as a top threat to its security and the world. However, Trump has claimed that the US strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities in June wiped out the programme.

As a result, Netanyahu is shifting the focus to missiles to keep pressure on Tehran. Trita Parsi, executive vice president at the Quincy Institute, notes that Israel is pushing the United States to join them in yet another war with Iran, partly because Trump is not receptive to addressing the nuclear issue. The Israeli government will continue to shift goalposts to make the confrontation with Iran an endless, forever war.

Iran has maintained that its nuclear programme is peaceful, while Israel is widely believed to possess an undeclared nuclear arsenal. Tehran has never launched missiles at Israel unprompted. During the June war, hundreds of Iranian missiles were fired towards Israel, but it was Israel that launched the war without apparent provocation.

Source: Al Jazeera