Will US President Donald Trump once again come to the aid of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the elections? This burning question has been dumped in quite a few political laps in Israel, especially that of the Blue and White party’s chair and candidate for the premiership, Benny Gantz. Persistent reports according to which the US administration is considering presentation of what has been dubbed its "deal of the century" for Israeli-Palestinian peace prior to the March 2 elections are generating heavy headaches for the opposition party’s leadership.
Initially, Gantz expressed sharp criticism of the reported American intention, but the White House did not appear overly bothered. Blue and White then decided to adopt a lower profile and to avoid addressing the issue. Outspoken criticism of presenting the blueprint before the elections is being reserved for private talks and behind-the-scenes measures. “The last thing we need now is a clash with the [US] administration, which would highlight the affinity between Trump and Netanyahu. We are hoping the administration does the right thing, meaning that it does not carry through with its intention and avoids blatant intervention in Israel’s political process. And if Trump goes ahead with the plan, anyway? Then we will have to formulate an alternative approach,” a senior Blue and White source told Al-Monitor this week on condition of anonymity.