ByGALIT ALTSTEIN/BLOOMBERGNEWS/TNS

JUNE 21, 2026 14:16

Updated: JUNE 21, 2026 14:17

Mayor David Azoulay keeps a portrait of US President Donald Trump and an American flag in his Metula office, Israel's northernmost community, as a form of ironic demonstration rather than endorsement.

Azoulay explained from his border location, now central to US-Iran talks aimed at halting the conflict, that Israel's approach over recent months has followed Trump's lead entirely. He added that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finds himself in a tight grip that gradually constrains Israelis, pointing to the recent memorandum with Iran as evidence.

This dynamic stands out in northern Israel, where the ongoing clash with Hezbollah disrupted initial US-Iran peace discussions in Switzerland on Friday. It has also created friction between Netanyahu and Trump, who criticized the Israeli leader publicly during the week for what he described as an overly aggressive stance toward Lebanon.

The Galilee Panhandle, a narrow strip of territory between Lebanon and Syria, once supported 50,000 Israeli residents until repeated Hezbollah rocket strikes over three years emptied many towns. Though some have come back, numerous businesses remain shut and streets stay largely vacant.

In Metula, evacuated in October 2023 due to fears of a Hezbollah incursion like the one from Gaza, roughly two-thirds of locals have returned, yet many doubt meaningful improvements will occur.

Kobi Sarmili, a 63-year-old chicken farmer from nearby Margaliot, predicted no true halt to hostilities, only sporadic rocket incidents continuing. He questioned troop withdrawals, warning of severe consequences and noting that Trump dictates the course with no one else in charge.

Conflict with Hezbollah viewed apart from Iran fighting

Miry Menashe, 41, who runs a coffee shop in Metula after relocating four years ago, voiced worries about the Memorandum of Understanding Trump finalized on Wednesday. It launches a 60-day period for negotiations, yet fighting persists visibly and audibly near the border despite calls for an immediate stop across all areas.

She supported the official position separating the Hezbollah battle from the broader Iran situation.

Menashe urged that for the US to contribute positively instead of imposing a truce, it should require Lebanon to station its military in the south, providing training, arms, and support. She addressed Trump directly, asking him to choose clearly between ally or adversary without mixing the roles.

Changes in Israeli views of Trump tie closely to Netanyahu's position at home.

After Trump arranged a Gaza ceasefire last October and urged Netanyahu to conclude a prolonged war for the return of hostages, two-thirds of Israelis saw him as focused on their security. Now that view has flipped, with 71 percent expecting the US leader might sideline Israeli priorities in any Iran agreement.

Netanyahu's Likud party and its coalition, noted for strong nationalist and religious elements, have lost ground in surveys since taking office in 2022, with recent setbacks erasing any gains. Opposition figure Gadi Eisenkot has led Netanyahu in polls for two weeks on suitability to lead.

Vance clashes with Israeli officials on Iran agreement

US Vice President JD Vance delivered a rare public response on Thursday to Israeli critics of the temporary deal, alluding to Israel's diminished global standing following the Gaza conflict.

Vance stated at the White House that Donald J. Trump remains the sole world leader showing support for Israel now. He suggested that Israeli cabinet members should avoid criticizing their main remaining powerful partner.

He indicated Israel must combine diplomacy with military actions for security, noting it is impossible to resolve every threat through force alone, in line with views from some international observers.

Following intensified border incidents overnight, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stated his preference for a firm response, declaring that for every Israeli mother's sorrow, a thousand Lebanese mothers should suffer and all of Lebanon should face consequences, in a post on X.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Kiryat Shmona, the main city in the Galilee Panhandle, symbolized Israel's battles with cross-border threats from Palestinian groups based in Lebanon.

The challenge later shifted to prolonged tensions with Hezbollah.

Eliav Raichbach, a lifelong Kiryat Shmona resident who owns a car repair shop, remained after a direct rocket strike on his business in October 2024.

He described surviving multiple wars locally but called the current period the most difficult, estimating 40 percent of local businesses closed and half the evacuated residents still absent.

Surveys show growing opposition to government actions affecting Likud's traditional supporters. This represents a notable change in areas like Kiryat Shmona, a longtime Likud bastion that gave the party nearly half the votes last election, and parts of Metula that favored the coalition.

Both Menashe and Raichbach once backed Netanyahu but withdrew support after his graft indictment six years ago.

Raichbach observed that no leader is irreplaceable, including Bibi, who once served Israel well but no longer does.