US officials believe that President Trump's Middle East agenda can remain on track even if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu loses the upcoming election.
What happened
According to reports, Trump's advisers think that Netanyahu's potential successors would have strong incentives to maintain close ties with Washington. This assessment comes as Israelis prepare to vote, with polls showing Netanyahu's coalition struggling to secure a parliamentary majority.
Despite Trump's endorsement of Netanyahu, several of his top advisors have grown dissatisfied with the prime minister over key regional priorities. US officials have begun discussing opportunities that might exist for the Trump administration's Middle East policy even if Netanyahu loses.
Former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot is currently favored to win the election and has spoken positively about Trump's efforts in the region. Eisenkot has stressed the deep ties between the US and Israel, which could potentially lead to new opportunities for the Trump administration's Middle East agenda.
