Israel Furious Over Exclusion From US-Iran Peace Talks As Critics Call Deal A ‘Huge Mess’

Growing frustration is emerging among Israeli officials, analysts and conservative commentators over the Trump administration’s decision to negotiate directly with Iran without formally including Israel in the talks.

Critics argue that the structure of the 14-point memorandum of understanding places key Israeli security concerns on the negotiating table while leaving Jerusalem largely on the sidelines.

Shima Shine, a former Mossad official and senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, questioned how the United States expected to broker arrangements involving Lebanon and Hezbollah without direct Israeli participation.

“What did America think about that?” Shine said. “How did they think that they can — at the same time — talk with Iran about Lebanon and force Israel to stop, and then bring the Israelis and the Lebanese to negotiate two sides when they are not in any way part of the negotiations with Iran.”

“I really think it’s a huge mess,” she added.

The criticism intensified after details of the agreement became public. Israel Hayom, a newspaper owned by longtime Trump ally Miriam Adelson, published a sharply critical opinion piece accusing the administration of abandoning Israel’s interests during negotiations with Tehran.

“You could have been the greatest president of all, as you claim to be, but you failed,” columnist Danny Zaken wrote, urging Trump to reject the advice of Vice President JD Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff.

“Unless you change course against the advice of your vice president and envoy, you will be remembered forever as the president who brought about the humiliation of great America and gravely damaged its strategic power and its leading status in the world,” Zaken added.

Prominent conservative voices in Israel have also turned their fire toward administration officials. Channel 14 personality Yinon Magal blasted Trump, Vance and other negotiators on social media, accusing them of sacrificing Israeli interests as part of the agreement.

Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter similarly criticized negotiations involving Lebanon, reportedly describing the current process as a “train wreck.”

Public opinion surveys suggest the controversy may be affecting Israeli attitudes toward Washington. According to a recent Channel 12 poll, 71% of respondents said they no longer trust the Trump administration to adequately safeguard Israeli interests under the framework of the agreement.

Analysts have also warned that placing Lebanon and Hezbollah issues at the front of the negotiations could complicate efforts to address Iran’s nuclear program.

Kelly Campa of the Institute for the Study of War argued that resolving the broader regional conflict will likely require direct participation from all major stakeholders.

“What needs to happen is an all-encompassing talks that bring together the US, Iran, Israel, Hezbollah and Lebanon, otherwise, nothing will get done,” Campa said.

She noted that multiple cease-fires in Lebanon have collapsed in recent years and questioned whether Hezbollah would honor a long-term arrangement without broader political and territorial issues being addressed.

The criticism comes as the Trump administration continues pursuing a final agreement with Iran during the 60-day negotiating window established by the memorandum of understanding, while also attempting to preserve fragile cease-fires across the region.