Trump and Netanyahu face rising tensions as Middle East tour exposes a chilling rupture and a shift in U.S. loyalties

Donald Trump has jolted global watchers and long-time allies with his latest Middle East manoeuvres — a power play that leaves Israel watching from the shadows. Once a cornerstone of Trump’s foreign policy theatre, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu now finds himself conspicuously excluded from the performance.

Trump, currently touring the United Arab Emirates, has opted not to set foot in Israel. Instead, he’s made headlines by lifting sanctions on Syria and hailing its newly appointed president, Ahmed al-Sharaa — a figure Israel brands as a dangerous jihadist. But Trump’s admiration was effusive. He called al-Sharaa “young, attractive,” and “a fighter,” in comments that visibly rattled Israel’s diplomatic community.

This pointed snub marks a broader collapse in what was once a visibly warm alliance. As Trump sealed economic deals with Gulf powerhouses like Saudi Arabia and Qatar — nations flush with oil wealth and eager to ink trillion-dollar pacts — Netanyahu remained out of frame, his influence waning by the hour.

Earlier this week, Hamas released a dual American-Israeli hostage in a deal orchestrated directly with Washington, bypassing Netanyahu entirely. Israel’s prime minister wasn’t briefed until after the agreement had been finalised. The exclusion wasn’t just symbolic — it was strategic.

Only days earlier, Trump unilaterally announced a truce with Yemen’s Houthi rebels, despite Israel’s fierce and ongoing conflict with the militant group. In doing so, he not only disregarded Israeli security concerns but also undermined Netanyahu’s regional posture.

Perhaps most incendiary, Trump has quietly begun exploring direct talks with Iran over its nuclear programme — a red line for Netanyahu, whose premiership has long been defined by aggressive opposition to Tehran.

“Netanyahu no longer holds Trump’s heart and mind,” said Michael Oren, Israel’s former ambassador to Washington. “If he still has the president’s ear, it’s not the one that listens.”

Inside Netanyahu’s circle, the mood remains tight-lipped but clearly uneasy. While public statements have been restrained, insiders admit they’re far from pleased. “They don’t love it and they’re not happy,” one source told Financial Times bluntly.

Israel’s diminished role in Trump’s vision of the Middle East comes down to cold economics. “Israel doesn’t have a trillion dollars to invest in the U.S.,” Oren added. “But the Saudis and the Qataris do.”

The transactional nature of Trump’s diplomacy now appears more pronounced than ever. Leaders willing to offer capital or deliver quick wins — even unsavoury ones — earn his favour. Netanyahu, mired in a grinding war in Gaza and unable to bring a swift resolution, offers neither.

Publicly, Trump still echoes Netanyahu’s language when discussing Hamas or Gaza. But his actions tell a different story. He wants closure in Gaza. Netanyahu can’t provide it. That makes him dispensable.

For a prime minister who once wore his Trump alliance like a badge of honour, the silence is now deafening. And the symbolism of Israel’s omission from this high-profile tour is impossible to ignore. As Trump cuts deals with Israel’s enemies and flatters regional strongmen, Netanyahu finds himself not just out of the room but locked out of the conversation entirely.

If Trump does return to the White House, Israel may need to brace for a far colder relationship than it ever imagined.