TEHRAN - Under the leadership of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, there is a growing perception that Israeli vicious goals are being prioritized over American interests.

The priority of Israel’s goals over the United States’ interests went to the extent that Netanyahu finally succeeded to push the administration of President Donald Trump toward a full-fledged war against Iran. 

To the surprise of the world, the joint Israeli-U.S. war against Iran has raised serious questions about the extent Netanyahu has influenced the Trump administration’s approach toward Iran.

This happened while Trump campaigned on the slogan of "America First" in the presidential race.

Netanyahu has found Trump as the best opportunity to advance his vicious goals. Calling Trump his Israel’s “best friend”, Netanyahu has trapped the Trump administration into the Iran quagmire.  Deep down, Netanyahu was quite aware that Trump was stupid enough to easily manipulate. American presidents have been at the service of Israel, but Trump’s subservience to Israel is has surprised Americans and non-Americans.

One of Trump’s most irresponsible steps against Iran came with his withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal in May 2018 during his first presidency. The agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was designed to put limits Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for termination of economic and financial sanctions. Netanyahu was a vocal critic of the JCPOA, labeling it a "historic mistake." This was while the agreement was considered the most important deal in the 21st century and was endorsed by the UN Security Council resolution 2231.  Netanyahu also did not miss any opportunity at the UN General Assembly to demonize Iran and its nuclear program, which was under the strict scrutiny of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

All these moves indicate that Netanyahu’s influence played a crucial role in shaping Trump’s decision in regard to Iran. According to various sources, including those close to the Trump administration, Netanyahu's arguments against the JCPOA resonated with Trump. The Israeli prime minister effectively framed the narrative around the deal, claiming it poses an existential threat to Israel. Trump's "America First" rhetoric ultimately ended in reflecting the Israeli regime’s priorities.

Under the influence of Netanyahu and the Israeli lobby coupled with his disdain of President Barack Obama, Trump opened the Pandora’s box by leaving the JCPOA. That set the stage for other moves against Iran, starting from “maximum pressure” policy to the ongoing open military confrontation. He defied warnings by his closest European allies who warned against quitting the JCPOA.

The assertion that Netanyahu has shaped U.S. policy toward Iran is further supported by comments from political figures such as Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, who resigned his post over Trum’s war against Iran on March 18.

Urging Trum to "reverse course", he said Iran posed "no imminent threat" to the U.S. and said the administration "started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby."  

In his resignation letter, addressed to Trump, which he shared on social media, Kent wrote, “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran.” 

As a person who has felt the pains of wars started by Israel, he also wrote, “As a veteran who deployed to combat 11 times and as a Gold Star husband who lost my beloved wife Shannon (Smith) in a war manufactured by Israel, I cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives.” 

Kent's remarks underscore a broader concern among critics that U.S. foreign policy is being unduly influenced by external actors, particularly when it comes to military actions against others in West Asia. The implications of this are profound: while Trump campaigned on an "America First" platform, his administration's actions often reflected an "Israel First" agenda.

Kent has not been the only official who has truthfully expressed his unhappiness over the war on Iran. The Spanish, Canadian, and Italian prime ministers, whose countries are allies of Washington and member to the NATO, have also indicated that the Iran war shows that the global world order, that had been in place since the Second World War, has collapsed.

The French ambassador to Oman, whose country is also an ally of the United States and a NATO member, has said the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is unjustified and unlawful.

“This military operation is outside of international law and we cannot endorse it in any way,” Nabil Hajlaoui told Middle East Eye.

The war has also drawn sharp criticism from Germany, one of Washington’s main allies. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has openly said: “This war violates international law.”

“We do not want to die for Israel”

The ramifications of Netanyahu's influence on U.S. policy are multifaceted. The designation of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps as terrorist organizations further escalated the situation.

Moreover, Netanyahu's approach has implications for regional stability. The world is now looking at the Israeli-U.S. actions against Iran as aggressively provocative and highly dangerous. The war on Iran is now leading the entire region into chaos. It has also greatly unsettled the energy markets and consequently global economy.

As we analyze the relationship between Israel’s evil plans and American foreign policy, it becomes increasingly evident that Netanyahu has succeeded in placing "Israel First" within the framework of Trump's "America First" slogan. By inciting a withdrawal from the JCPOA and leveraging pressure from Israel and its lobby, Netanyahu has effectively shaped U.S. military policy toward Iran in ways that align more closely with Israeli objectives than with American national interests.

As tensions continue to simmer in West Asia, it is essential for American policymakers to critically assess how Israel shapes their decisions and to ensure that U.S. foreign policy remains rooted in American interests rather than Israel’s expansionist policies. 

Trump, who was constantly criticizing his predecessors for “endless wars” in the region, is now being pushed into a much greater and much more dangerous war against Iran.  He was not only cheated into the war against Iran, but also put the capability of the U.S. military into serious question. The Iranian Armed Forces’ exemplary resistance against the aggressors has humiliated the United States in the eyes of the world, particularly China and Russia which Washington saw as its main military competitors.

Additionally, Trump's approval rating has fallen to 36 percent, the lowest point since he returned to the White House, as rising gas and food prices and disapproval of the war weigh on public opinion

One of the most striking findings in a Huffington Post report has also revealed the emergence of open dissent among troops, particularly regarding the political nature of the war.
A reservist in contact with active-duty personnel has said: “I’m hearing out of service members’ mouths the words, “We do not want to die for Israel — we don’t want to be political pawns’.”