Former US diplomat Michael Ratney believes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be prepared to oppose US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan in order to protect his domestic political future. The assessment was reported by Al Jazeera in an article published on August 12, 2026.

Ratney, a former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia and former charge d’affaires at the US embassy in Israel, told Al Jazeera that Netanyahu could benefit from publicly rejecting the plan regardless of Trump’s response. He said Netanyahu’s electoral prospects over the coming months are now the most important consideration.

According to Ratney, the nature of Netanyahu’s actual communication with Trump and the extent to which he may ultimately agree with parts of the proposal are secondary matters. More important for Netanyahu’s political future is the position he presents to Israeli voters. Ratney said Netanyahu’s public stance on the Gaza plan may be shaped by voter sentiment, meaning he could reject it publicly despite the risk of possible repercussions for relations with the US president.