Israeli officials have put a brave face on US President Donald Trump bypassing them on a Middle East trip this week, but his decision to do so is the latest to sow doubt in Israel about where it stands in Washington’s priorities.
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On Sunday, a few days after announcing plans for an expanded military operation in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it had been informed by the United States of an agreement to release US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander, after talks between Washington and Hamas that did not include Israel.
Trump, who will be visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, also caused consternation in Israel last week by abruptly announcing the US would stop bombing Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, days after a Houthi missile hit near Israel’s main airport.
“The message to the region was clear: Israel is no longer a top US priority,” wrote Itamar Eichner, diplomatic correspondent for Israeli news outlets ynet, echoing media commentators across the political spectrum.
One Israeli official said Trump’s announcement on the Houthis was “kind of an embarrassment” and that the president acts “for good and for bad”.
Israel has been talking to the US about the post-war future of Gaza and officials say relations at the official level remain strong, but some officials acknowledge being blindsided by Trump’s decision-making.