"Israel First": Ex-Israeli Negotiator Daniel Levy Says Netanyahu Led Trump into Illegal Iran War
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Daniel Levy, a former Israeli negotiator, asserts that Benjamin Netanyahu manipulated the Trump administration into an 'illegal war' with Iran.
- ❖Netanyahu's long-term goal is a 'Pax Greater Israel,' aiming for regional dominance by weakening Iran and expanding Israeli control, even at the expense of American interests.
- ❖Levy identifies three groups susceptible to the narrative that the war serves US interests: the gullible, end-times religious believers, and those in Israel's 'echo chamber'.
- ❖Trump's claims of US-Iran negotiations are likely a 'ruse' for market manipulation or to buy time for military buildup, not a genuine de-escalation effort.
- ❖Israel is actively working to prevent a ceasefire, driven by an 'impunity high' from its actions in Gaza.
- ❖The ongoing war with Iran has diverted international attention from Israel's continued violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, where the IDF actively supports settler actions.
Insights
1Netanyahu's Alleged Manipulation of Trump into Iran War
Daniel Levy contends that Benjamin Netanyahu successfully 'duped' President Trump into initiating an 'illegal war' with Iran. Levy highlights Netanyahu's consistent, decades-long warnings about Iran's nuclear program and his attempts to draw successive US presidents into military conflict. He argues that Trump, perceived as 'less serious,' presented an opportunity for Netanyahu to achieve this objective, which previous administrations resisted.
Levy's article headline: 'Why Netanyahu duped Trump into the illegal war with Iran.' () 'This president is made of different stuff, less serious stuff apparently. And Netanyahu saw his opportunity.' ()
2The 'Pax Greater Israel' Strategy for Regional Dominance
Levy introduces the concept of 'Pax Greater Israel,' explaining that Israel's current strategy is to become the dominant hard power in the region. This involves extending its influence, seizing territory (e.g., parts of Syria and Lebanon), and pursuing an 'eradicationist approach' towards Palestinians. A key component of this strategy is weakening Iran militarily, which necessitates US involvement.
'This time Israel sees us in an era of what I would call a PAX greater Israel. This is about how far Israel can extend its dominion. How much of a hard power dominant hegamman it can be in the region seizing parts of Syria of Lebanon trying to finish an eradicationist approach to the Palestinians. And crucially to do that you have to weaken Iran militarily to remove some kind of deterrent. You can only do that with the US.' ()
3US-Iran Negotiations as a Potential Ruse or Market Manipulation
Levy questions the sincerity of Trump's claims regarding US-Iran negotiations, suggesting they might be a 'ruse' or a tactic to manipulate financial and oil markets. He points out that America has previously used diplomacy as a distraction before pursuing military options. The existence of third-party communication channels is acknowledged, but direct talks are doubted, and their purpose is viewed skeptically.
Iran's government dismissed Trump's claims as 'fake news' to 'manipulate financial and oil markets.' () Levy asks, 'Was this another American deployment of diplomacy as a ruse? We saw in the leadup to this war that America played with negotiations, attempted that as a distraction, but actually intended to go for the military option.' () 'Was this a Monday morning pre-stock market intervention on the part of the president?' ()
4Israel's Role in Escalation and Preventing Ceasefire
Levy asserts that Israel has been a primary driver of the 'escalatory logic' in the war and continues to actively try to prevent a ceasefire. He attributes this to Israel's 'impunity high' following its actions in Gaza, suggesting a desire to achieve a 'mission accomplished' victory image, which risks further cycles of escalation.
'Israel has been driving a lot of the escalatory logic in this war. It will continue to attempt to prevent a ceasefire.' () 'Israel is still on the impunity high from its Gaza genocide which has led us here.' ()
Bottom Line
The alleged Israeli strategy of 'Pax Greater Israel' prioritizes regional dominance even if it means accelerating American decline and eroding US support for Israel.
This suggests a transactional and potentially self-destructive long-term approach by Israel, where short-term gains in regional power are pursued at the cost of its most significant international alliance. It implies a calculation that US decline is inevitable, and therefore, current US leverage should be maximized.
For other regional powers, this could create opportunities to re-evaluate alliances and diversify security partnerships, recognizing the potential for US disengagement or diminished reliability. For US policymakers, it demands a critical reassessment of the 'Israel First' narrative and its actual impact on American strategic interests.
The shift in Israel's media strategy to permit the publication of damage from Iranian attacks is likely due to an inability to suppress images of significant destruction, rather than a deliberate tactical change.
This indicates a potential failure in Israel's information control and a growing inability to intercept all incoming missiles, suggesting that Iran's missile capacity is more resilient or effective than initially perceived. It also implies that the war of attrition is not playing out favorably for the US and Israel in terms of missile defense.
Analysts can use this observation to infer the evolving dynamics of missile defense and offensive capabilities in the region, potentially identifying vulnerabilities in current interception systems. It also highlights the increasing difficulty for states to control information flow in modern conflicts.
Key Concepts
Pax Greater Israel
A concept described by Daniel Levy, suggesting that Israel's current strategy aims to establish itself as the dominant hard power in the Middle East, extending its dominion over parts of Syria and Lebanon, and pursuing an 'eradicationist approach' to Palestinians. This involves weakening Iran militarily, even if it means accelerating American decline or loss of US support for Israel.
Diplomacy as a Ruse
The idea that diplomatic overtures or claims of negotiation are not genuine attempts at resolution but rather strategic deceptions. In this context, Trump's claims of US-Iran talks are seen as a distraction to manipulate financial markets, buy time for military deployment, or mask an underlying intent for military action, rather than a sincere effort towards de-escalation.
Lessons
- Critically evaluate official narratives surrounding US military engagements, especially when claims of negotiations or strategic objectives appear contradictory or serve multiple, potentially conflicting, interests.
- Investigate the influence of foreign lobbying and 'echo chambers' on national foreign policy decisions, particularly when those decisions involve significant military action or resource allocation.
- Monitor the long-term implications of current geopolitical strategies (e.g., 'Pax Greater Israel') on regional stability, international alliances, and the potential for accelerated decline of major global powers.
Notable Moments
Trump's contradictory statements regarding Iran negotiations, shifting from threatening 'obliteration' to claiming 'productive conversations' and even personal joint control of the Strait of Hormuz with Iran's next Ayatollah.
This highlights a perceived incoherence and unpredictability in US foreign policy, which Daniel Levy suggests was exploited by Israel. It also underscores the potential for political rhetoric to be used for market manipulation or as a distraction rather than reflecting genuine diplomatic efforts.
The discussion of Israel's shift in allowing media to publicize damage from Iranian attacks, moving from suppression to apparent openness.
This moment reveals a potential change in the information warfare aspect of the conflict, suggesting that Israel's ability to control the narrative about the war's impact on its home front may be diminishing due to the scale of damage or the resilience of Iranian attacks.
Quotes
"Netanyahu himself and other Israeli leaders... have during a awfully long period told us Iran is at the precipice of becoming a nuclear power... And they've been trying to pull successive American presidents into that war to launch such a military campaign. They've never succeeded."
"This time Israel sees us in an era of what I would call a PAX greater Israel. This is about how far Israel can extend its dominion. How much of a hard power dominant hegamman it can be in the region seizing parts of Syria of Lebanon trying to finish an eradicationist approach to the Palestinians."
"The idea that this is a war to serve American rather than Israeli interests resonates primarily in three spaces. The gullible, the true believers, especially of end of times uh religious thinking or those who are paid up members of Israel's echo chamber."
"America played with negotiations, attempted that as a distraction, but actually intended to go for the military option. So, is this trying to buy some time while the US waits for a third aircraft carrier...?"
"Israel is still on the impunity high from its Gaza genocide which has led us here."
"There is no armed settler militia without the IDF. The settlers roam the West Bank with the active backing of Israel's military."
Q&A
Recent Questions
Related Episodes
'NOT America First!' Tucker Carlson On Iran, Trump, Ben Shapiro, Cruz & More!
"Tucker Carlson asserts that US involvement in the Iran war is not 'America First,' but rather driven by Israeli interests, weakening the US and fracturing the conservative movement while critics weaponize 'anti-Semitism' to silence dissent."
TRUMP PANICS AS FINANCIAL APOCALYPSE HITS; TRILLIONS LOST; TEHRAN IN ‘NUCLEAR WINTER’ & CHAOS ERUPTS
"The host details a catastrophic global economic and humanitarian crisis stemming from the US-Israel war on Iran, framing Trump as an incompetent, lying leader whose actions are escalating the conflict and destroying the world."
The MAGA Dominos Are Falling (w/ Bill Kristol) | The Bulwark Podcast
"Tim Miller and Bill Kristol dissect the Trump administration's erratic and unhinged foreign policy regarding Iran, the moral and political implications of his war threats, and the growing calls for his impeachment from across the political spectrum."
Cory Booker GOES OFF on Trump and Democrats’ Tax Plan
"Senator Cory Booker delivers a passionate critique of Trump's administration and Congressional inaction, while advocating for bold Democratic policies, including a controversial tax plan that would eliminate federal income tax for most Americans."