The souring relationship between Trump and Netanyahu

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0:24You're listening to State of the World from NPR. We bring you the day's most vital international stories up close where they're happening. I'm Greg Dixon. Just like in the U.S., Israel's politicians are focused on an upcoming national election that could be consequential. Israelis vote at the end of October. And that is factored into the relationship between the two countries. The Trump administration has been showing signs of growing frustration with Israel and with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. And as NPR's Daniel Estrin in Tel Aviv tells us, the feeling is mutual. Israelis tend to love President Trump for his pro-Israel stance.

1:06But many are not happy he called a truce this summer with Iran.

1:14I like Trump, says meat seller Yossi Radinsky. But his judgment wasn't right. He says Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a plan to defeat Iran, and they didn't finish the job.

1:31In an outdoor market, an Israeli man blows the shofar, the ram's horn, a call for introspection ahead of the Jewish New Year beginning next week. Israeli shopper Noy Moore, a mother of four, reflects on Trump.

1:51Every morning he wakes up with a new crazy idea, she says. Suddenly he'll say, Iran, I'll bomb you. And the next day he'll say, let's make a deal. He's not stable. Can you rely on him? No. When Trump announced the truce agreement with Iran this summer, Netanyahu's coalition partners said they wouldn't be bound by it. Israel was sidelined during the negotiations. Netanyahu told reporters he wasn't aware of the details of the deal when it was reached. And here's what he said about his relationship with Trump. We often see things eye-to-eye, and there are times we see less eye-to-eye, Netanyahu said.

2:29Another disagreement has been on Gaza. Trump wants to advance a plan for Hamas disarmament. Netanyahu said he rejects the plan. Netanyahu has also rejected U.S. calls to limit Israeli attacks in Gaza. Israeli strikes have increased, including bombing Hamas munitions depots. That drew a rebuke at the United Nations Security Council from Nikolai Mladenov from Trump's Board of Peace. Will another strike on a munitions depot stop Hamas from rearming or tightening its grip on Gaza? It will not. It only delays the demilitarization. Netanyahu wants to appear defiant to hard-right Israeli voters ahead of October elections.

3:12But that's complicating Trump's efforts to rein in Israeli strikes throughout the Middle East, says former Israeli diplomat in the U.S., Alon Pinkas. I think it's a major shift. Netanyahu used to campaign for re-election by touting his close ties with Trump. But Trump hasn't endorsed Netanyahu for the October elections. Netanyahu is trailing in the polls behind his centrist challenger. Former diplomat Pinkas speculates Trump is hearing this message from his advisors. You thought you have a partner in Netanyahu. Apparently you don't. There are things that Israel could have done to make you look better, and Netanyahu refused to do that because of his own political calculations.

3:54And so why should you bend backwards and help him? Screw him. Let's work with the next prime minister. On the backdrop of these rocky relations is escalating Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank that's affecting U.S. citizens. A Palestinian-American family's home has been besieged and an American news crew from NBC was attacked. Israel still hasn't made any arrests. Daniel Estrin, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

4:28That's the State of the World from NPR. Thanks for listening.

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