When Washington Sets the Tempo: Israel’s Power Balancing Act
Ceasefire in Gaza or not, the center of gravity in Israeli politics has shifted westward. In this analysis by Keren Setton, the story opens with a flurry of high-level US visits—President Donald Trump at the Knesset, followed by Vice President JD Vance and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio—signaling a relationship that leaders on both sides cast as deeper than an alliance. One Israeli scholar likens the tone to a “landlord,” arguing that decisions now flow as much from Washington as from Jerusalem. That backdrop frames a new joint operational hub under United States Central Command in southern Israel, where roughly 200 US personnel work alongside Israeli counterparts to police the ceasefire’s terms.
The political friction is immediate. During Vance’s stay, the Knesset advanced a bill to apply Israeli law to parts of the West Bank—drawing a sharp rebuke from Washington and a public vow from the American president that the move “will not happen.” Inside Israel, critics say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is yielding to pressure; he replies that Israel alone decides its security. The domestic divide mirrors an American one: strong Republican backing, thinner Democratic support, and a rising isolationist wing skeptical of Middle East entanglements.
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Analyst Shmuel Rosner tells The Media Line that US foreign policy “is currently determined by one person only,” adding that the president aims to lock in a legacy by tying regional peace to economic opportunity, Gulf investment, and an expanded Abraham Accords—ambitions that require a durable Gaza ceasefire. A stalled Israeli-Egyptian gas deal and debates over antisemitism inside US politics add fresh fault lines.
For the full context, quotes, and on-the-ground reporting, read the complete article by Keren Setton.
