Israel’s diplomatic isolation has been starkly evident during President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states. In recent weeks, two key players have taken center stage in the Middle East: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Alongside Trump, they are shaping a new regional course—whether through normalizing Syria’s leadership under Ahmad al-Sharaa or negotiating Iran’s nuclear program. Israel, meanwhile, is entirely sidelined.

Jerusalem is grappling with a domestic political crisis and an increasingly fragile government coalition. Simultaneously, the Gaza war drags on, with growing public debate over its value and calls for an end to the fighting. This article asks: Has Trump thrown Israel under the bus? The answer is complex and ambiguous.

A promising start

Trump’s presidency initially seemed like a dream for Israel. He vowed to “open the gates of hell” on Hamas—a mere rhetorical flourish, as it turned out. Still, shortly after his election, he facilitated the first...

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