Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the United States, the main purpose of which is his planned meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, is taking place against the backdrop of the growing coalition crisis at home and the little time left in the Knesset winter session.
The White House is also under time constraints, because in two months, Trump's ultimatum to the partners in the Iranian nuclear deal is due to run out. If by then they don't take action to plug the holes in the agreement (including agreeing to insert far-reaching limitations on Iran's missile development), the U.S. government will withdraw from the deal in May, reverting to its previous policy of economic sanctions against the Iranian regime.
Trump proved only a few days ago, when he imposed tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, that he is willing to change the rules of the game with friends and rivals alike. This underscores his warning that he is determined to go as far as necessary to address the Iranian issue and loop in other world powers to join him in his efforts to compel Iran to accept new checks and balances for both conventional weapons and nuclear weapons.
Netanyahu's visit to the American capital is of particular importance in light of all this.
Netanyahu is giving Trump a golden opportunity to hold an in-depth discussion about the threat the Iranian presence in Syria and Lebanon poses to Israel, in the hope that this will prompt Trump to include the Syrian issue in the demands he makes in negotiations with the partners in the nuclear agreement. If they manage to reach agreement on clear lines that if crossed by Iran would be seen by the U.S., as well as by Israel, as a violation of an updated nuclear deal, this would mark a major upgrade to Israel's strategic partnership with the U.S. and maybe even in the U.S. commitment to provide Israel with a vital safety net against threats from Iran. Then-President Bill Clinton made that commitment at the Wye Plantation in October 1998.
Although this is a strategic dialogue of paramount importance to Israel, we should remember that there is plenty of background noise that could distract the president during this visit. The Putingate investigation continues to hang over his head, with his reported desire to oust his son-in-law Jared Kushner from the White House largely anchored in Kushner's involvement in the affair.
There is tension between Trump and his chief of staff, John Kelly, over the problematic Kushner, whose extensive business ties with foreign partners (in China, Abu Dhabi and Qatar, as well as Russia) led to his temporary security clearance being revoked at Kelly's initiative. Retired general Kelly understood the fear of another scandal resulting from Kushner's involvement in dubious deals with people who have other interests at heart, especially from the Persian Gulf area. Kushner also has close ties with Israel that apparently contributed to the loss of his security clearance, and there is no doubt that the blow to his status is also a blow to the pro-Israel wing in the administration.
However, we can assume that Kushner will not completely disappear from the diplomatic radar anytime soon, even if his range of influence and activity is restricted in the future.
