Will US President Donald Trump once again come to the aid of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the elections? This burning question has been dumped in quite a few political laps in Israel, especially that of the Blue and White party’s chair and candidate for the premiership, Benny Gantz. Persistent reports according to which the US administration is considering presentation of what has been dubbed its "deal of the century" for Israeli-Palestinian peace prior to the March 2 elections are generating heavy headaches for the opposition party’s leadership.

Initially, Gantz expressed sharp criticism of the reported American intention, but the White House did not appear overly bothered. Blue and White then decided to adopt a lower profile and to avoid addressing the issue. Outspoken criticism of presenting the blueprint before the elections is being reserved for private talks and behind-the-scenes measures. “The last thing we need now is a clash with the [US] administration, which would highlight the affinity between Trump and Netanyahu. We are hoping the administration does the right thing, meaning that it does not carry through with its intention and avoids blatant intervention in Israel’s political process. And if Trump goes ahead with the plan, anyway? Then we will have to formulate an alternative approach,” a senior Blue and White source told Al-Monitor this week on condition of anonymity.

It all began a little over a week ago, with reports that the White House was mulling presentation of the peace plan, which has been in the making for some three years, prior to the Israeli elections. Gantz, asked about it at a Jan. 8 news conference, gave a sharp and penetrating answer. “I can assume that on such an important matter the Americans would be careful and not publish it before the election, because that would be outright blatant intervention in the State of Israel's election process," he said. Gantz associates believed that this clear-cut declaration would convey the necessary message to the White House and remove the issue from the agenda. “Publication of a dramatic peace plan a minute before elections is simply not done,” a senior Blue and White source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity at the time. “We do not believe the Americans could do such a thing.”

A short while later, it turned out that the Americans actually could. Even before Gantz’s decisive comments, the special US envoy on Middle Eastern peace talks, Avi Berkowitz, was dispatched to Israel on Jan. 7 for a series of meetings, including one in Jerusalem with Netanyahu himself. The content of the talks has not been revealed. According to diplomatic sources in the know, Berkowitz is now busy with “final changes and formulation” of the Trump peace plan. He also met with Gantz, and the contents of that meeting, too, remains unclear. Sources exposed to the talk between the two say Gantz expressed strenuous opposition to a rollout of the peace plan before the elections.