Israel Marginalized From U.S.-Iran Negotiations, Netanyahu Sidelined on May 23

According to the New York Times on May 23, Israel has been significantly marginalized from U.S.-Iran negotiations following the start of ceasefire and diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran. Israeli officials are now largely excluded from the talks and rely on regional diplomatic channels and intelligence networks to gather information.

The shift represents a political setback for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who previously positioned himself as "the Israeli leader who best understands Trump" and claimed to speak with the former U.S. president almost daily. Analysts note this reduced coordination in key diplomatic processes weakens Israel's influence over the situation and may affect Netanyahu's reelection prospects this year.