Israel caught in Trump's embrace

Mr Trump is often dismissed as just an opportunist. But in the Middle East, being an opportunist is usually a compliment, and invariably an asset.

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Mr Trump has frequently portrayed himself as Israel's best US friend, and his family enjoys close bonds with US Jews who, in turn, have a deep attachment to Israel. Yet this did not prevent him from exploiting a significant recent development: the collapse in support for Israel, particularly among centrist and centre-left Americans. This Democratic constituency traditionally attracted most US Jewish voters.

The shift in support provides Mr Trump with an opportunity none of his White House predecessors had: the ability to apply pressure on Israel without fearing that Israeli leaders would use the President's domestic opponents to deflect from this pressure.

A decade ago, Mr Netanyahu infuriated then President Obama by criticising him in Congress in Washington, and Mr Obama could do nothing about this. Now, however, a similar Israeli trick is inconceivable, since the Israelis no longer can play off Republicans against Democrats in the way they used to do it.