Trump Fires Pro-“Israel” Officials Amid Rift with Netanyahu

By Staff, Agencies

Several top officials in US President Donald Trump’s administration have recently been dismissed due to their strong pro-"Israel" positions, amid growing tensions between Washington and Tel Aviv over the Gaza war and Iran, according to a report by the Hebrew-language daily "Yedioth Ahronoth".

The report claims that three senior figures—Merav Ceren, Eric Trager, and Morgan Ortagus—were either removed from their posts or reassigned due to their perceived bias in favor of "Israel."

Ceren, a dual US-"Israeli" citizen overseeing the Iran and “Israel” portfolio at the “National Security” Council and Trager, in charge of West Asia and North Africa, were reportedly dismissed following the removal of former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, a staunch supporter of “Israel”.

Morgan Ortagus, deputy to special envoy Steve Witkoff and responsible for the Lebanon portfolio, is also expected to be sidelined. Known as one of the most ardent pro-“Israel” voices within the administration, Ortagus played a pivotal role in ceasefire negotiations and in pressuring the Lebanese government to act against Hezbollah and disarm Palestinian refugee camps. She is now expected to be reassigned within the State Department with no further involvement in regional diplomacy.

“Israeli” officials have expressed alarm over these dismissals, fearing a broader trend of distancing between Washington and Tel Aviv. Sources told "Yedioth Ahronoth" that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is "deeply troubled" by the shifts in US policy, especially the increasing influence of conservative figures like political commentator Tucker Carlson, who view “Israel” as attempting to drag the US into a wider war.

“This is the new America, and it’s deeply concerning to Netanyahu,” one senior “Israeli” official was quoted as saying.

The dismissals come amid serious disagreements between Trump and Netanyahu over plans for a potential strike on Iran and the ongoing war in Gaza. According to "Yedioth Ahronoth", these developments are not isolated but signal a broader realignment in the Trump administration’s Middle East strategy.

Meanwhile, Tel Aviv continues its military assault on Gaza, which began on October 7, 2023, following the retaliatory Operation Al-Aqsa Flood by Hamas in response to the entity’s ongoing atrocities against Palestinians. Since then, the “Israeli” entity has killed over 54,000 Palestinians—most of them women and children—and wounded more than 124,000 in its besieged campaign.

Amid the conflict, Tel Aviv has also threatened military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities if the current indirect talks between Tehran and Washington, mediated by Oman, collapse. In response to past aggressions—including an attack on its embassy in Syria and the assassinations of resistance leaders and an IRG commander—Iran launched hundreds of missiles at "Israeli"-occupied territories under Operation True Promise I and II.