The Financial Times has reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is calling US President Donald Trump “daily” to urge him to disregard mediation efforts and resume the war against Iran.
The British newspaper quoted an unnamed source familiar with the matter on Monday evening as saying that “Netanyahu calls him (Trump) every day to urge him to resume the war,” amid diplomatic efforts led by Qatar to reach an agreement between Washington and Tehran.
The source added that figures both inside and outside the White House oppose a renewed outbreak of fighting and are seeking to counter Netanyahu’s pressure to restart military operations against Iran.
The source also noted that “regional leaders are urging Trump not to escalate and to give priority to negotiations.”
According to another source familiar with the situation in Israel, Netanyahu does indeed want to resume the war, but there is currently no coordinated campaign to persuade Trump to do so.
The newspaper said Netanyahu’s continued pressure to restart the war has raised concerns among Arab and Muslim leaders, who fear that renewed fighting could trigger a wider Iranian response and deepen instability across the Middle East.
Diplomatic Efforts
These developments come as Qatar intensifies its mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran in an attempt to reach an agreement that would end the current state of neither war nor peace, amid its regional and international economic and political repercussions.
Following his meeting with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman in Washington on Monday, Trump spoke of “positive momentum” towards reaching an agreement with Iran.
A diplomat familiar with the meeting told the newspaper that both sides agreed that “diplomacy is the preferred path forward towards reaching an agreement.”
On the same day, Trump said Qatar and Saudi Arabia were keen to achieve a peaceful resolution to the conflict with Iran, while stressing that Washington was prepared to resume military strikes “if necessary.”
The Financial Times reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad had contacted Trump in recent days, urging him to allow diplomatic efforts more time.
According to the newspaper, regional leaders fear that a renewed war could provoke a broader Iranian response and further destabilise the Middle East.
Israel’s Political Calculations
In Israel, opposition figures have accused Netanyahu of seeking to resume the war against Iran in order to undermine efforts by Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot, who has been tasked with forming a new government, or to push him into establishing a unity government in which the two would rotate as prime minister.
These accusations come as Eisenkot continues his efforts to form a government after being tasked with the mission by Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Sunday, following the parliamentary elections held on October 27.
Disagreements Hampering Negotiations
For weeks, mediators have struggled to break the deadlock between Washington and Tehran amid disagreements over ensuring freedom of navigation and security in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for energy and goods supplies.
The two sides are discussing a proposal based on a seven-day plan submitted by Iran last September, which Trump rejected at the time.
On Monday, Qatar’s Al Jazeera channel quoted a source familiar with the talks as saying that two separate meetings held by the Qatari prime minister with Trump and his Vice President JD Vance had made “good progress” on the Iran issue.
The source added that the discussions aimed to narrow the differences between Washington and Tehran.
Meanwhile, Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency quoted an unnamed official on Monday as denying reports of negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the release of $8 billion in frozen Iranian assets.
The official said Tehran would only negotiate within the framework of seven conditions previously communicated to Washington. These include lifting the naval blockade and unilateral sanctions, releasing frozen assets, and ending the war.
Iran has warned that it is prepared to respond to any new attacks, with the possibility of the conflict expanding beyond the region.
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran, which Tehran says has killed thousands. Iran responded by attacking Israel and what it described as US military installations in Arab countries.
On June 18, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding and began negotiations, but the talks subsequently encountered serious difficulties due to disagreements between the two sides.
Washington and Tel Aviv accuse Tehran of pursuing nuclear and missile programmes that threaten Israel and regional countries allied with the United States. Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is peaceful and denies seeking to develop nuclear weapons or threaten other countries.
Israel is widely believed to be the only country in the region to possess an undeclared nuclear arsenal. Its nuclear facilities are not subject to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s comprehensive safeguards system.
