Israeli analyst and pollster Shlomo Filber wrote this morning (Friday) in a post on his X account (formerly Twitter) that recent dramatic media coverage of U.S.-Israel relations is overblown. He asserts that the relationship is based on mutual strategic interests, and that differences between Trump and Netanyahu can be readily resolved.
Filber: The Media Is is Unprofessional
“The Israeli media’s reporting on U.S.-Israel relations resembles a psychosis that swings wildly between abandonment anxiety and schadenfreude.
There is no cold, professional analysis of the facts,” Filber wrote.
He argued that while the two countries do not always have identical interests, they are aligned in 80% of cases: “In the 20% of cases where there are gaps or disagreements, they can be addressed through dialogue.”
Filber claimed that even in areas of dispute, the Americans have told Israel: “If you need help defending yourselves, we’ll stand with you—fully and unconditionally.”
A Rare Meeting at the White House
At the same time, U.S. President Donald Trump met yesterday with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer at the White House. The two discussed the Iran nuclear negotiations and the ongoing war in Gaza. The meeting was not pre-announced by either government and is considered highly unusual, as U.S. presidents typically do not meet with ministers who are not heads of state.
The discussion comes shortly after Trump surprised Israel earlier this week by announcing a ceasefire with the Houthis in Yemen—without notifying Netanyahu in advance. Notably, the Houthis did not commit to halting rocket fire toward Israel as part of that agreement.
Yesterday, Reuters reported that President Trump will allow Saudi Arabia to build a civilian nuclear reactor without making it conditional on a peace agreement with Israel.
