Dramatic Shift in Israeli Perception of Trump Following Iran Deal

Today, July 7, 2026, new poll results in Israel show that the once-solid bond between Donald Trump and Israeli public opinion has severely weakened. Just weeks after the signing of the so-called “Islamabad Memorandum” between the United States and Iran, an overwhelming majority of Israelis now believe that Trump no longer prioritizes their security [1].

Freefall in the Polls According to the latest data from the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI), only 28% of Israelis believe that Donald Trump considered Israel's security as a central consideration in negotiations with Tehran [3]. This figure represents a dramatic drop from March 2026, when 64% of respondents trusted Trump's ability to protect Israeli interests. This shift in perspective is observed across the entire political spectrum, from right-wingers to centrists, indicating a national consensus on the American president's “unpredictability” [2].

The Islamabad Memorandum; The Turning Point The root of this dissatisfaction dates back to the agreement of June 18, 2026. This memorandum, signed after a short but bloody period of military conflict in February 2026, includes a cessation of military operations, the release of frozen Iranian assets, and sanctions relief in exchange for temporary nuclear restrictions [5]. Many in Israel believe that with this move, Trump sacrificed military victories achieved earlier in the year for a “quick diplomatic achievement.” Israeli analysts say this agreement allows Iran to maintain its nuclear infrastructure and missile capabilities, while Israel is under pressure from Washington to withdraw on the Lebanon and Gaza fronts [4].

Tension in Trump-Netanyahu Relations Personal relations between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu have also reached their lowest point. Reports indicate that in recent calls, Trump used a harsh tone to demand that Netanyahu stop operations in southern Lebanon so as not to disrupt the implementation of the memorandum with Iran [5]. In recent statements, Trump emphasized that he “prefers to make a deal rather than affect the lives of 91 million people,” a sentence interpreted in Tel Aviv as the end of the “maximum pressure” era and the beginning of the “deal at any cost” era [1].

Feeling of Loneliness in Tel Aviv Israeli media are now using the word “betrayal” to describe Washington's new policies. Yair Forer, an Israeli citizen, stated in an interview: “Trump is a man who cannot be trusted with anything; he left us alone against Iran” [4]. This sense of isolation, given the upcoming elections in Israel, has doubled the pressure on Netanyahu's government, as 71% of Israelis now do not trust Trump to secure their interests in any final agreement with Iran [3].