Former minister Ron Dermer has delivered a blunt message to Israel’s political and security leadership: do not attack the Trump administration and do not turn policy disagreements into a public confrontation, according to a report in Israel Hayom.

According to Israel Hayom’s Danny Zaken, two sources said Dermer warned senior Israeli officials against a public clash with the U.S. administration, out of concern that such a move would further damage relations between Jerusalem and Washington. The warning comes as Israel seeks to preserve its freedom of action in Lebanon and Iran while facing increasing American pressure on the diplomatic front.

The backdrop to the warning is criticism leveled by Vice President JD Vance against Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu. According to a previous Israel Hayom report, Vance urged President Trump to stop Netanyahu whenever Israel carried out strikes in Lebanon and accused him of trying to undermine the emerging agreement with Iran. The White House denied those claims.

Dermer’s message carries particular weight because he is considered one of Netanyahu’s closest advisers on U.S. affairs and one of the key architects of Israeli policy toward Washington.

Dermer’s approach is one of dual caution: Israel should not compromise its security interests or allow Hezbollah and Iran to take advantage of American diplomatic efforts, but it should also avoid a direct confrontation with President Trump while the administration remains central to developments involving Iran and Lebanon.

There are divisions within the U.S. administration over Lebanon. Some officials favor linking the Lebanon issue to the agreement with Iran, while others, including the State Department under Marco Rubio, support advancing a separate Israel-Lebanon arrangement that would include a roadmap for an Israeli withdrawal alongside efforts to weaken Hezbollah.

Israeli officials are also working behind the scenes to build support among members of Congress from both parties while avoiding direct public criticism of President Trump. That, according to the report, is precisely the point Dermer has been stressing: fight for Israel’s interests, but do not break things with the White House.

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