Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu meet Monday at the White House, with the U.S. plan to end the war in Gaza taking center stage. The US president, who for the first time appears ready to openly press the Israeli prime minister – to the point of conflict – intends to announce a deal after the meeting if there is consensus.

The White House dilemma

According to senior advisers to the US president, cited by Axios, the choice facing Netanyahu is clear: accept the peace plan or publicly break with Washington and further international isolation. Trump has said that his plan is in the “final stage” and that the Israeli prime minister has given his approval, but Netanyahu’s public statements remain ambiguous.

Arab countries

A Trump adviser stressed that “the Arabs have agreed 100%” and now it remains to put pressure on Netanyahu. The U.S. assessment is that if the Israeli leader rejects the deal, he will be held responsible for continuing the war, strengthening Hamas and worsening the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Trump has not to date publicly blamed Netanyahu for the continuation of the war or for failing to release the hostages. However, this time, according to some of his associates, he may turn on him. Support for Israel is at an all-time low both in the White House and in the MAGA grassroots core, and many officials say they are exhausted with the Israeli prime minister.

Pressure from Trump’s entourage

Advisers have told the US president that the Gaza peace process is a test of his global credibility. Without peace, any plan for the Middle East will be undermined. On Sunday, special envoy Steve Whitcoff and the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, met with Netanyahu in New York to bridge differences over the 21-point plan drawn up by the US administration.

New beginning after Israeli strike in Doha

Although it sounds paradoxical, the latest peace initiative came after Israel’s failed attempt to eliminate Hamas leaders in a missile attack in Qatar. That event, according to Trump advisers, had the effect of uniting the Arab world in a common position and giving impetus to negotiations.

In Washington, discontent with Netanyahu is growing, with Trump associates saying he is making dangerous decisions to ensure his political survival and influence the judges he faces in his own country. As a senior official said, the Israeli president who “invades and bombs every country on the map” is now being asked to choose between Trump’s vision of peace and his government partners who demand continued operations.

Discomfort at interference in the US political scene

At the same time, Netanyahu is causing discomfort with his intervention in the American domestic political scene. On Friday, at the UN General Assembly, he met with pro-Israeli conservative influencers, asking for support for his country on social media. He did not even hesitate to attack his critics, calling them “paranoid” and “insane”, while he also got into a confrontation with Tucker Carlson, who accused him of stating that he “controls Trump”.

White House aides openly express puzzlement at Netanyahu’s “obsession” with online discourse in the US, urging him to focus on Gaza rather than social media platforms. “It doesn’t help us. It’s not helping Israel. And it certainly doesn’t help us get a peace deal,” a senior official stressed.