Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long presented his closeness to the United States as evidence of his indispensability. However, as he visits Washington for a meeting with President Donald Trump, that card appears to be losing its potency.

The visit, the first since the war on Iran began, comes at a critical time for Netanyahu, who faces an election in late October and an ongoing corruption trial. The meeting is seen as an opportunity to refresh his image and remind the Israeli public of his ties to Trump.

Strains in the relationship have grown since the start of the Iran war, with reports suggesting Netanyahu convinced Trump of the mission's feasibility. The war has stalled, and Trump has shown willingness to make Middle East deals without Israeli input, including the sale of F-35s to Turkey and a nuclear cooperation deal with Saudi Arabia.

“The real reason Netanyahu’s got this visit is purely cynical,” said Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli ambassador. He claimed the visit aims to assure allies of the relationship's strength and seek Trump's pardon in the corruption trial.

Netanyahu faces criticism from US right-wing figures like Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene. Vice President JD Vance has also criticized “some” Israelis for allegedly trying to derail the Iran war-ending agreement.

Analysts suggest the meeting will combine public flattery with private cynicism. Trump told reporters, “Nobody tells me what we should be selling,” regarding the F-35 sale.

“Netanyahu arrives in Washington at a time when even many around [Trump] are suspicious of him. He has become toxic in the US,” said Ahron Bregman, a security analyst. “He is regarded as the one who dragged Trump into a war of choice that has turned into a strategic catastrophe.”

Israeli pollster Mitchell Barak noted that Netanyahu has “burned a lot of bridges” and that Trump could easily endorse a new prime minister. “It could easily be that Trump declares Netanyahu was a great wartime leader, but that it was time for Israel to move on,” Barak said.

Source: www.aljazeera.com