India, June 28 -- Trump's decisions are guided by his interests, his priorities, and his political calculations, not by the needs of Netanyahu's election campaigns. When those interests align, the relationship between the two leaders can be enormously valuable. When they do not, there is little even a close ally can do to change the outcome.

For decades, Benjamin Netanyahu has persuaded Israelis that no one could manage Israel's relationship with the United States better than him, a claim that has become a central part of his political identity. A giant election poster from 2019 showed Netanyahu standing beside Donald Trump, both smiling and shaking hands. The campaign slogan, "Another League," suggested that Netanyahu operated on a leve...