Shima Shine, an ex-Mossad official and INSS senior researcher, told The Post it was a mistake to keep Israel at arms-length from the negotiating table, especially when the deal hinges on its current fight with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
“What did America think about that? How did they think that they can — at the same time — talk with Iran about Lebanon and force Israel to stop, and then bring the Israelis and the Lebanese to negotiate two sides when they are not in any way part of the negotiations with Iran,” Shine said.
“I really think it’s a huge mess,” she added.
After details of the memorandum of understanding were published last week, the Israel Hayom newspaper — owned by Miriam Adelson, one of Trump’s biggest, pro-Israel backers — published a scathing opinion piece accusing him of betraying the Jewish state.
“You could have been the greatest president of all, as you claim to be, but you failed,” wrote journalist Danny Zaken, demanding the president ignore Vice President JD Vance and special Envoy Steve Witkfoff as they negotiate with Iran.
“Unless you change course against the advice of your vice president and envoy, you will be remembered forever as the president who brought about the humiliation of great America and gravely damaged its strategic power and its leading status in the world,” Zaken added.
The brutal op-ed echoed the criticisms coming out of Israel in recent days, with lawmakers demanding Israel have a seat at the negotiating table and media outlets showing support for Trump trailing.
Channel 14 News right-wing star Yinon Magal went as far as to call Trump a “loser” and Vance “scum” on X over the negotiations.
Magal also attacked Witkoff and Kushner for selling out “their brothers in Israel.”
Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, also slammed the talks surrounding Lebanon as a “train wreck” on Tuesday.
A recent poll by Israel’s Channel 12 TV found 71% of respondents felt they could no longer trust the Trump administration to safeguard Israel under the terms of the deal.
The fact that Lebanon is the first issue of the 14-point agreement also gives Iran sway to refuse to discuss more pertinent issues, like its nuclear program, until that stage of the conflict is resolved, noted Kelly Campa, the head of the Middle East Team for the Institute for the Study of War think tank.
“What needs to happen is an all encompassing talks that bring together the US, Iran, Israel, Hezbollah and Lebanon, otherwise, nothing will get done,” Campa said.
“We’ve already seen four or five cease-fires happen in Lebanon, and it’s highly doubtful Hezbollah will abide by a long-term deal as long as it sees the Israeli occupation continue,” she added. See photos here.
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