As US President Donald Trump prepares for a state visit to the Middle East, senior officials close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are sounding unusually sharp criticism of the US administration’s recent conduct—while continuing to insist that relations between the two leaders remain solid.
“There is chaos in the administration,” a senior member of Netanyahu’s entourage told Channel 13 News on Sunday evening. “The right foot doesn’t know what the left is doing. Everything runs according to the President’s whims—sometimes it benefits us, sometimes not.”
The remarks come amid heightened diplomatic friction between Jerusalem and Washington, particularly over policy differences on Gaza and Iran. Nonetheless, the Prime Minister’s Office continues to assert that there is no personal tension between Netanyahu and Trump.
In recent days, President Trump has made several statements at odds with Israeli interests, raising concern among senior officials in Jerusalem. In response, messages of dissatisfaction were relayed to the administration by Minister Ron Dermer, who recently concluded a diplomatic visit to Washington in his capacity as Israel’s acting head of relations with the United States.
Prime Minister’s spokesman Omer Dostri downplayed reports of a rift, stating: “President Trump recently said about the Prime Minister, ‘We are on the same side on every issue.’ Just yesterday, the White House press secretary reiterated that ‘President Trump’s relationship with Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu is very strong,’ contrary to false media reports.”
Meanwhile, Reuters revealed Sunday evening that the US has been conducting direct negotiations with the Hamas terror organization over a possible ceasefire in Gaza and the transfer of humanitarian aid to the coastal enclave. A senior Hamas official confirmed the report in a statement to Al Jazeera.
NBC News further reported that President Trump, in private conversations, described Israel’s recent decision to expand operations in Gaza as a “wasted effort.” According to sources cited in the report—including administration officials and diplomats—Trump is now at a crossroads, facing decisions on how to manage his disagreements with Netanyahu moving forward.
At the same time, Israeli frustration has mounted over the administration’s ambiguous stance on Iran. Netanyahu, according to reports, was especially disturbed by Trump’s statement that he has not yet decided whether to permit Iran to enrich uranium for civilian purposes as part of a possible renewed nuclear deal. Minister Dermer reportedly conveyed this dissatisfaction in meetings with US envoy Steve Witkoff.
The Iranian issue remains a central point of disagreement. Jerusalem has consistently conveyed its opposition to any deal that would allow Tehran to maintain uranium enrichment capabilities. Nevertheless, President Trump has thus far refused to rule out such a possibility, stating: “We have not yet made a decision on the matter.”
The growing diplomatic strains come at a time of increasing strategic divergence between Israel and its closest ally, even as official statements from both sides attempt to project unity.