US intelligence warned the Trump administration that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could take steps that would undermine the president's attempt to reach a deal with Iran, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday evening.
According to the report, current and former US officials believe the political pressure on Netanyahu could lead him to continue the war in Lebanon.
One of the officials who helped compile the report told the newspaper that, in his assessment, Netanyahu's political future ahead of the Israeli general elections this fall is tied to convincing the Israeli public that he does not intend to withdraw from Lebanon, and that he is determined to escalate the war against Hezbollah.
The report also highlights Israeli frustration with the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran, which contradicts Netanyahu's public statements. It also says Israelis view the emerging agreement as one that would make it more difficult for Israel to defend itself against Hezbollah.
The official stressed that the agreement does not prevent Israel from responding to Hezbollah attacks, but said that ending the war or withdrawing from Lebanon would be perceived in Israel as a defeat for Netanyahu.
The report addresses the fragility of the agreement as it relates to Israel's northern front, and Iran's demand for a complete halt to fighting on all fronts as a condition for continuing negotiations with the US. The analysis submitted to Trump comes amid growing tensions between him and senior administration officials, on the one hand, and Netanyahu, on the other. They have warned Israel that continued attacks on Hezbollah could lead to the collapse of the agreement.
The officials who spoke with the newspaper said that if Netanyahu chooses to continue using military force in Lebanon, he could damage his ties with the president, who until recently was considered a political asset for him. Speaking at a press conference in France on Thursday, Trump said he had "a little disagreement with Netanyahu on Lebanon," and that he had urged Netanyahu not to "knock down buildings in Beirut every time someone from Hezbollah walks into them."
