Between Washington and Jerusalem: The fear of further escalation with Iran

In an opinion column, Moshe Nestelbaum analyzes the fear of escalation with Iran, arguing that the political interests of Trump and Netanyahu are the main factor, not security considerations. The author warns of a 'match made in heaven' that could lead to a war serving both their careers.

In an opinion column in Maariv, Moshe Nestelbaum analyzes the fear of further escalation with Iran, arguing that the key to understanding the next war lies not in intelligence assessments or maps of the Middle East, but in the political calendars in Washington and Jerusalem. According to him, US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could benefit politically from a military confrontation: Trump to cement his legacy or divert attention from domestic failure, and Netanyahu to paralyze the opposition, erase public criticism, and make the cost of living and housing crisis secondary issues. The author warns that when the two most powerful players profit from the same conflagration, the probability of calm approaches zero. The column does not cite any official sources or quotes supporting the thesis.