Jerusalem - Ten years ago, when the United States and Iran met for nuclear negotiations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposed an emerging agreement from the world's most open stage, including in a warm speech to Congress, which was seen as a direct challenge to the Obama administration as it was calling negotiations.

Now, when both sides sat down to discuss a new deal, Netanyahu was silent.

Netanyahu, who sees Iran's nuclear weapons as an existential threat to Israel, is also wary of any new agreement between the United States and his masters, which may not meet his standards. However, he found himself helpless with Donald Trump at the White House.

Netanyahu is reluctant to publicly criticize a president who has expressed widespread support for Israel, who considers him the greatest friend of Israel and is not good for criticism.

He “can’t do anything the opposite of Trump.

Over the past 18 months, Israel has been in a position to Iran in its power over Iran. It has allowed Iranian allies in Lebanon, Gaza and Syria to attack directly attack Iran last year, neutralizing some major air defenses. Experts say Israel now has a window of opportunity to strike an effective strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, and regional rebounds may be reduced.

However, Israel’s leaders have been unable to inspire Trump’s priorities to prioritize strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, which is likely to depend on U.S. military aid for success. With the United States negotiating with Iran, Israel has little legality to seek military options on its own.

"Netanyahu is trapped," said Eytan Gilboa, an American-Israel relationship expert at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv. "He is in Israel's position under Trump, in Israel's position in Iran. In fact, the opposite is true."

Netanyahu and his supporters of nationalists hope that Trump's return to the White House would be favorable due to Trump's support history. They believe that under Trump, the United States may support strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities.

But Trump’s attitude toward Iran and on other issues such as tariffs suggests that the relationship is more complex, and that Trump’s interests are not entirely aligned with Netanyahu’s interests.

Netanyahu has long accused Iran of developing nuclear weapons and has carried out a global campaign against Obama's deal. He described the nuclear program as an existential threat to Israel and the world, and said the agreement was too weak to contain it. Israel remains the only nuclear-armed country in the Middle East, which is the advantage it wants to retain.

Trump withdrew from Obama's deal with strong encouragement from Netanyahu. Since returning to the White House, Trump has freed Israel to regain the war with Hamas in Gaza, aggravated the humanitarian crisis on the territory and launched a strike against Iran-backed Hussi rebels who have attacked Israel since the beginning of the war.

But now that the United States has returned to its negotiations with Iran, Netanyahu will risk jeopardizing his good ties to the president if he is to openly oppose a major foreign policy initiative of the administration.

Netanyahu's last time crossed the grumpy Trump was when Joe Biden won the 2020 election. Trump was clearly offended by the infidelity who believed to be unfaithful, and their connections were deeply frozen.

Israel is making any deals to Washington priorities. As part of that, according to Israeli officials, Israel should choose to strike Iran, which is likely to do so - as long as negotiations are conducted.

Netanyahu said in a speech in Jerusalem this week that he had discussed the terms of a deal with Trump. He explained that it requires the removal of all infrastructure of Iran's nuclear program and that efforts should be made to prevent Iran from developing ballistic missiles that can deliver bombs.

"I said to President Trump, I hope this is what negotiators will do. We have close contact with the United States. But I'm talking one way or another - Iran will have no nuclear weapons," he said.

Netanyahu said he would favor a strict diplomatic agreement similar to Libya's agreement in 2003 to destroy its nuclear facilities and allow unrestricted access for inspectors. However, it is unclear whether Trump will set such strict conditions - Iran refuses to give up its rich rights.

Trump-led talks with Iran began earlier this month and had expert discussions on how to curb Iran's nuclear program and prevent it from being able to obtain atomic weapons if it chooses to pursue them. Iran said its plan was for peaceful purposes, although some officials are increasingly threatening to hunt down the bomb.

While Trump said he retained military options and transferred military assets to the region, he said he prefers diplomatic solutions. Planning talks between Iran and the United States this weekend were postponed on Thursday.

Since Trump canceled the Obama-era deal in 2018, Iran has increased its nuclear abundance and increased its uranium storage.

Netanyahu's 2015 speech to Congress against Obama's deal - at the invitation of Republicans - was delivered without consulting the White House. Obama did not participate.

This is just one of many examples of Netanyahu being seen as comfortable with Republicans, traditionally driving the wedge for bipartisan support of Israel. Coupled with the tensions between Netanyahu and the Biden administration’s actions in Israel in Gaza, it means Netanyahu cannot rely on democratic allies to take on his cause.

Nevertheless, Netanyahu has a hard time finding any Republican willing to face the president openly on this issue. He himself will work hard to criticize a deal if an agreement is reached. Instead, he might send someone to do so, said Gilboya of Bar-Ilan University.

But, Gilboa said, before that, Netanyahu's biggest hope was that negotiations failed.

“It would be the best case for him.”