美伊和谈考验美以同盟关系

The consequences of peace. With U.S. and Iran talks underway and Israel sidelined in the process, we now know the answers to questions we asked 3 months ago. Can a war launched together be ended together? And is there a limit to U.S.-Israeli partnership? Tonight, the reasons behind President Trump’s public tensions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and what the U.S. and Iran agreement says about America’s alliance with Israel, coming up on "Compass Points." ♪ Announcer: Support for "Compass Points" has been provided by... the Judy and Peter Blum Kovler Foundation, Camilla and George Smith, the Dorney Koppel Foundation, the Gruber Family Foundation, and Cap and Margaret Anne Eschenroeder.

The Judy and Peter Blum Kovler Foundation. Upholding freedom by strengthening democracies at home and abroad. Additional support is provided by Friends of the News Hour. ♪ Announcer: This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you. Thank you. Once again, from the David M. Rubenstein Studio at WETA in Washington, moderator Nick Schifrin. Hello and welcome to "Compass Points." Just 4 months ago, the U.S. and Israel launched a joint war with a level of military and political integration rarely seen in history.

But the U.S. is now unilaterally negotiating a memorandum of understanding with Iran that Israeli officials have openly criticized. The president and vice president have in turn publicly criticized Israel. And the fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah remains a major challenge that could undermine the deal. So how fine is the line that Benjamin Netanyahu walks, as he’s viewed by critics as an impediment to peace?

And what does that tension say about the future of the U.S.-Israel alliance? To discuss that, I’m joined in Tel Aviv by Michael Herzog. He was, until last year, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, and is now a distinguished fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. And here with me in the studio, Danielle Pletka, distinguished senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and Aaron David Miller, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former senior State Department adviser in Republican and Democratic administrations on Arab-Israeli negotiations.

Thanks very much. Welcome back. Miller: Great to be here. Schifrin: To "Compass Points." Ambassador Herzog, I want to start with you. Did the U.S. treat Israel as an ally in this war, but is now not treating Israel as a partner in the peace? Well, what we see is that while, as we are fighting Iran together, we’re very close and closely aligned. And this type of war, of course, necessitates a high level of trust, coordination, and cooperation.

But when it comes to a diplomatic settlement or diplomatic outcome, we part ways. And we don’t feel that the U.S. considers Israel a partner to that, probably because they decided to opt out of the war, and they feel that the Israeli government would like to