“We know that we’re alone in this fight,” a very senior source in the Israeli defense establishment told Al-Monitor this week. “Still, we have no choice but to carry on.”

The April 4 phone call between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump made it clear to the Israeli leadership that “the friendliest president to Israel ever” has no plans to change his strategic decision to withdraw US forces from Syria and leave the arena to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Reportedly, Netanyahu did try to explain to Trump what the implications of such a withdrawal would be. But according to Israeli sources informed about the content of the call, while Trump expressed his understanding of the Israeli position, he made it clear to Netanyahu that he will not change his mind. The two men agreed that the United States would continue to grant Israel widespread international support, but the United States is unwilling to continue being bogged down in the Syrian quagmire. Trump apparently told Netanyahu that now that the Islamic State has been defeated and eliminated, the United States has no reason to remain there. At the same time, Trump promised Netanyahu that the United States would stand beside Israel and provide it with assistance if needed.

This was a major disappointment for Netanyahu. It undermined the idyllic romance between him and Trump, replacing it with the kind of tension that left a bitter taste. Netanyahu knows that Trump is his best card; when it comes to Israeli interests, he makes a point of saying all the right things. The problem is that the president does not always follow up on his statements with actions on the ground.

Right now, the most critical issue for Israel’s national security is the fact that Iran is pouring every effort into establishing its presence in Syria. Yet this is the very issue in which Trump stubbornly refuses to provide Israel with the goods. The president has completely reversed US policy on Iran. He thinks the exact opposite of his predecessor, Barack Obama. In other words, Trump sees Iran as a liability rather than an asset and describes it as a state exporter of terrorism and violence. The president is even giving serious thought to the possibility of pulling out of the nuclear agreement signed between Iran and the superpowers. That's because Trump sees the Iranians as posing an immediate and severe threat to American interests in the Middle East and the stability of the Sunni regimes, considered America’s main allies in the region. The problem is that when it comes to putting words into action, the president tends to show reluctance. When it comes to what happens in Syria “the day after,” the president is silent.