The US and Israel Differ on Iran Strategy

by Elina Farhadi

Ties between the United States and Israel are close, but strategic and tactical differences still crop up when it comes to dealing with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The US and Israel both want to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power, while keeping Tehran from expanding its regional influence and proxy militias.

For Trump, the main priority is to reach a new “deal” with Iran. Washington is pursuing this goal through a strategy of “maximum pressure,” which combines economic sanctions with military deterrence.

Israel, on the other hand, attaches significantly less importance to any agreement with Tehran and fundamentally doubts the viability of any deal with the regime. Israel’s government questions if Iran would adhere to agreements in the long term.

Although Trump has publicly speculated about possible “regime change,” the US is wary of reengaging in protracted wars and has no concrete plan for a forced change of power.

In Israel’s estimation, Iran represents an existential threat, and the Israeli government continues to emphasize that any deal with Iran’s regime must credibly remove the country’s ability to project force. Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s position that any deal with Iran must call for dismantling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and the removal of existing enriched uranium. Israel has also said that US talks with Iran must also address the country’s ballistic missiles and Tehran’s support for regional proxies.

Netanyahu fears that a possible change of course under a future US administration could strengthen Iran’s position. Israel therefore wants the US to intervene more decisively and directly, and be ready to resort to military force if necessary. (Regime change in Iran is still the best solution.)

Food for Thought: by Steven Shamrak

The Palestine Mandate was adopted by the League of Nations in July 1922. The League of Nations Mandate system in the Middle East had allocated land, including the land East of the Jordan River, in order to re-establish the Jewish state – Eretz-Israel. Therefore, Gaza, Judea and Samaria are integral parts of Eretz-Israel. Any other claims are just fakery and a deliberate distortion of legal and historic truth by international anti-Semites, Jew-hating individuals and governments, and lackeys of enemies of Israel! (Note: In 1988, Jordan ceded its claim to Judea and Samaria, which Jordan and six other Muslim countries seized and occupied in 1948.)

 

Israel has Biblical Right to Much of Mideast

The Saudis, Jordan, PA, and the Arab League slam the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, who said in a recent interview that “it would be fine” if Israel took over a large swath of the Middle East. However, he said that Israel was not looking to expand its territory and has a right to security in the land it legitimately holds.

Historic Changes on the Temple Mount

For the first time during the month of Ramadan, a significant change has been implemented in the arrangements for Jews ascending the Temple Mount. The hours for Jewish visitors to the Temple Mount have been expanded. The Mount will open to Jews at 6:30am and close at 11:30am. (Changing ‘tradition’ of stupidity.)

EU Designated IRGC as a Terrorist Org

The European Council, the European Union’s top decision-making body, formalized its decision to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. The agreement was made possible after France said it would support the move, withdrawing its longstanding opposition to it. The sanctions will include the freezing of the IRGC’s funds, financial assets, and other economic resources in EU member states. EU Foreign Policy chief Kaja Kallas, who also serves as vice president of the European Commission, reinforced the EU’s stance, stating, “If you act as a terrorist, you should also be treated as a terrorist.”

Hamas will have 60 Days to Disarm

Israel plans to afford Hamas a 60-day period to disarm, and if it does not, the Israeli military will go back to war in the Gaza Strip. Speaking in Jerusalem conference, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Yossi Fuchs, said that the Trump Administration had asked for a 60-day period, and “we are respecting that.” (Why not 6 days? The result will be the same.)

Anti-Israel ‘Rot’ in Democratic Party

Sen. John Fetterman, blasted what he called “rot” within the Democratic Party, citing what he described as its growing anti-Israel wing. Ocasio-Cortez said the United States’ “unconditional” support for Israel helped facilitate a “genocide” in Gaza, a characterization Fetterman rejected. AOC accuses Israel of genocide in Germany where the Holocaust was launched, sparking outrage. (If Israel wanted to commit “genocide”, why are any Gazans still left?)

Hamas is Reasserting Control in Gaza

Hamas is again extending its control over security, tax revenue, and government services, raising questions about its long-term strategy, and whether it is prepared to give up its weapons and authority, as now required under the second stage of Donald Trump’s peace plan. Hamas is ideologically committed to fighting Israel, and has a deeply-rooted and well-armed membership across the Gaza Strip. Verifying its full disarmament will be difficult, and some in the group have reportedly demanded they be allowed to keep personal weapons to defend themselves against enemies at home.

Israel Must Produce its Own Weapons

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday that Israel must expand its domestic weapons production to ensure it can defend itself independently, citing global competition for munitions and disputes with allies during wartime. He also cited sanctions imposed by other countries on spare parts and components.

Will France Criminalize anti-Zionism?

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced the country’s intention to make anti-Zionism a criminal offense. Lecornu clarified that the government would no longer settle for simply imposing penalties for classic Antisemitism, promising, “In April, we will bring to Parliament a bill that criminalizes anti-Zionist expressions.” (Good and surprising. It looks like anti-Semitism does not work anymore for political advancement in France.)

Masked Arabs Attacked Jewish Shepherd

A shepherd from the Israeli homestead of Mikneh Avraham, near the community of Ma’ale Amos in Gush Etzion, was assaulted by a group of masked Arab rioters from the village of Rashida. The assailants fled the area before IDF troops reached the scene. The incident is the latest in a string of attacks reported in recent months in eastern Gush Etzion. (This the Western anti-Semitic press does not report!)

 

With a Friend Like this…

A White House official said the US President Donald Trump’s opposition to Israel applying sovereignty over Judea and Samaria – “A stable West Bank keeps Israel secure and is in line with this administration’s goal to achieve peace in the region.” The comments come a day after the Cabinet approved significant decisions that will reshape the legal and civil structure of Judea and Samaria. (‘Friends’ of Israel are still using the wrong name of Jewish land – ‘West Bank’.)

Quote of the Week:

“The Iranian regime is a regime of terror. It openly declares its desire to destroy the State of Israel and backs those words with actions, producing conventional and non-conventional weapons and constructing a ring of fire around us. This is not something we can live with. Either it destroys us, or we destroy it.” – Bezalel Smotrich, Finance Minister and Religious Zionist Party leader.

The PA is still Paying Terrorists

The Palestinian Authority paid 23,500 terrorists a total of approximately $315 million in 2025 alone. This is 8% of its total PA budget.

Under Palestinian Authority law, terrorists who serve time in Israeli prisons receive structured monthly payments, which increase based on the severity of their crimes. For example:

– Terrorists serving between one and three years in prison receive a $1,500 bonus upon release.

– Those serving 30 years or more receive $25,000.

– Released terrorists are granted free healthcare, university tuition waivers, and government jobs, with salaries and promotions tied to the length of their sentences.

This system not only legitimizes terrorism but actively encourages it, ensuring that even those convicted of the most heinous crimes receive lifelong benefits. PA President Mahmoud Abbas has repeatedly defended the program, once declaring, “If we are left with one penny, we will spend it on the families of prisoners and martyrs.”

Despite efforts to curb this practice, many international donors continue to provide financial assistance to the PA, either directly or through intermediaries.

Under the Biden administration, the US resumed aid to Palestinian institutions, with little oversight on whether these funds continue to support terrorism.

Red Cross offices in Judea and Samaria and Gaza have been reported to assist in the coordination of these payments, often under the guise of humanitarian aid distribution.

To dismantle the PA’s terror financing network, world leaders must take decisive action.

– Cut off international aid: The US, EU, and other donor countries must impose strict conditions on financial assistance to the PA, ensuring that no funds are used for terrorism financing.

– The international community must demand full financial transparency from the PA and independent audits to track where foreign aid is spent.

The time for half-measures is over. The pay-for-slay system is nothing more than terrorism funding, and the world must recognize it as such.

  

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