ISRAEL PERSPECTIVE

Jerusalem, May 18, 2026. The direct communication channel between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump remains the central lens through which Israel views the Iranian file. The two leaders spoke Sunday following Trump's trip to China, an exchange Netanyahu described as one of their regular conversations: "Our eyes are also wide open regarding Iran. I will speak today, as I do every two or three days, with our friend President Trump." This frequency underscores how much Tel Aviv values maintaining a privileged channel with Washington at a moment of high tension.

Trump's post-call message on Truth Social drew Israeli attention: "For Iran, the clock is ticking, and we must hurry, FAST, or there will be nothing left of them. TIME IS ESSENTIAL." The tone aligns with what Jerusalem hoped to hear—sustained maximum pressure on Tehran without a prolonged off-ramp.

The China episode constitutes the second analytical axis. During his state visit to Beijing, Trump stated that Xi Jinping had agreed with him on two major points: Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and Tehran cannot acquire nuclear weapons. These two verbal commitments align with Israel's longstanding positions. However, Jerusalem cannot ignore Chinese nuance: Beijing's Foreign Ministry called the conflict a war "that should never have occurred and has no reason to continue," without explicitly condemning Tehran. Chinese diplomacy preserves its margins.

The prospect of lifting U.S. sanctions on Chinese oil companies purchasing Iranian crude—mentioned by Trump himself—introduces additional complexity. China is the largest buyer of Iranian oil; any easing of economic pressure on Tehran, from Israel's perspective, could reduce coercion effectiveness. Trump himself offered qualification: he did not ask Xi for "favors," and he acknowledged that no firm commitment had been secured regarding pressure to force Iran to reopen the Strait.

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi stated that Tehran would welcome Chinese diplomatic contributions while asserting that Iran cannot trust the United States after American airstrikes interrupted previous negotiation rounds. From Israel's viewpoint, this Iranian posture confirms that Tehran operates on multiple registers simultaneously—diplomacy and resistance—without any intention of near-term capitulation.

Netanyahu summarized his government's stance with calculated reserve: "There are certainly many possibilities; we are prepared for any scenario." Jerusalem observes the Washington-Beijing-Tehran triangle reconfiguring, aware that Sino-American agreements—characterized as "preliminary" by China's Commerce Ministry—leave substantial uncertainty about the path forward on nuclear matters.