Await foreign policy
has yet to be announced.
The right-wing elements in the Israeli cabinet are hoping this influence on American policy will be in the shape of decreasing international pressure over the Palestinian issue, but Mr Netanyahu has different priorities.
Over the past year, since Barack Obama secured the necessary votes in the Senate to overcome a veto against his landmark nuclear agreement with Iran, Mr Netanyahu has muted his rhetoric on the Iranian threat.
Sources close to the prime minister confirm, however, that Iran remains his “number one priority” and he sees the new administration in Wash- ington as an opportunity to change American policy in this regard.
He does not believe Mr Trump will actually follow through with this campaign promise to “renegotiate” the Iran deal, but there are more than enough other issues which he hopes the Trump White House will challenge Tehran on.
These include Iran’s continuing tests of ballistic missiles and most crucially, its support for Hizbollah and other proxies throughout the region.
The right-wing in Mr Netanyahu’s coalition, including many members of his own Likud party, are currently challenging him over the High Court order to dismantle the Amona settlement in the West Bank by December 25.
On Sunday, the cabinet’s legislative committee voted against his wishes for a law that would bypass the High Court’s ruling.
Mr Netanyahu is aware that any such move will be overruled by the court.
He is also wary of provoking the Obama administration during its last two months, and does not want to push Mr Obama into making a final gesture on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He fears such a move would limit Israel in further negotiations with the Palestinians.
For nearly eight years Mr Netanyahu has withstood American pressure on the Palestinian issue, but was foiled by Mr Obama’s Iranian diplomacy.
His first priority is to try and overturn that defeat.