Mr Trump has a helpless fascination for decisive political strongmen like North Korea's Kim Jong-un and Russia's Vladimir Putin, but only Mr Netanyahu has persuaded Mr Trump to go to war for him -- not once, but twice. But if neither Mr Netanyahu nor Mr Trump will put "boots on the ground" (they won't), it can hang on indefinitely. Mr Trump clings to the delusion that he can get a quick win and change the regime. However, Mr Trump was upset enough by the genocide in Gaza to force Mr Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire there in October. Mr Netanyahu dared not defy Mr Trump's ban, and only 618 Palestinians have been killed by the IDF since the "ceasefire".

Source: Bangkok Post March 04, 2026 05:59 UTC