A much deeper crisis appears to be taking shape behind the public clash between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, with Israeli officials saying that Trump’s pressure for a withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the Syrian Hermon is far from over and is expected to intensify as the anticipated signing of the memorandum of understanding with Iran approaches on Friday, Maariv reported on Thursday.

Israeli officials told Maariv that Trump’s demands are not merely theoretical and that issues concerning Lebanon, Syria, and the Syrian Hermon were raised in recent discussions with Netanyahu, adding that the prime minister made it clear that Israel will not agree to withdrawing from its security positions in the north. A senior Israeli official told Reuters that Israel is carrying out “stubborn negotiations” with the US on maintaining its military presence in southern Lebanon and has no intention of backing down.

The officials warned that the messages coming from Washington are no longer limited to difficult discussions. The US is signaling that if Israel continues to insist on its position, it will consider practical measures, ranging from delays in weapons shipments to restrictions on operational assistance, and even more severe steps that could potentially amount to a de facto arms embargo.

Trump’s unusual remarks this week against Israeli policy in Lebanon, along with his personal jabs at Netanyahu, are viewed in Jerusalem as the public expression of the intense US pressure being exerted behind the scenes. Trump’s demands include an Israeli withdrawal from five positions in southern Lebanon, a withdrawal from the Syrian Hermon, and a significant reduction in military activity on the northern front.

The officials believe that the Trump administration will not let the issue drop and anticipate more pressure as the expected signing date on Friday approaches, particularly regarding Lebanon. Trump wants an explicit commitment from Netanyahu to withdraw, or at least a formula that would allow Trump to present an achievement regarding Lebanon to the Islamic Republic.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)