That statement will no doubt draw guffaws from Trump’s detractors.,
who love to point out that he has often been strongly critical of Israel. Far more
than Democratic presidents like Joe Biden. But while that might seem true on
the surface, when you look at the overall picture, Trump’s consistent and
unconditional support versus Biden’s cautious and qualified backing — the
contrast is striking.
A recent JTA article by Ron Kampeas explored this issue, noting that Trump’s criticism of Netanyahu was far harsher than Biden’s ever was. And yet Netanyahu took it in stride, whereas Biden’s milder criticism was met with tension and even anger. Kampeas quoted Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, who cited examples of Trump (who unlike Biden) has an underlying antipathy toward Israel. Such as his brokering a deal with the Houthi militia in Yemen that allowed it to continue attacking Israeli ships, and his visit to Qatar, a Hamas backer, while skipping Israel on a Middle East tour:
“Trump has actually pushed Netanyahu quite a bit and used sharp language in the process,” she said. “He was emphatic in saying that Israel should not annex the West Bank. Now, it’s not that I disagree with that position, but he warned that Israel would lose ‘all support from the United States’ if it did. That kind of language would have been wholly unacceptable coming from a Democrat.”
There are other examples like this. And yet Netanyahu has
said that
this administration is the most pro-Israel in U.S. history. How can that be?
And why do I agree?
For one thing, Biden’s support for Israel at the outset of
the Gaza war came with strings attached. From the very beginning and repeatedly
he urged Israel to exercise restraint, and when he decided Israel had gone too
far, he withheld critical weapons shipments. That limited Israel’s ability to
achieve its military objectives.
Trump, on the other hand, never placed restrictions on
Israel’s tactics in Gaza. His overall policies with respect to the Middle ‘East
in general and Israel in particular led
to several positive outcomes no previous administration managed to achieve: The relocation of the US embassy to Jerusalem, the release
of all remaining hostages; the end of the war with Hamas; and a broad ceasefire
agreement that has given Israel far greater control in Gaza than anyone thought
possible. Not to mention the creation and continued expansion of the Abraham Accords, with
yet another Muslim country recently joining the circle of peace.
Then there was Trump’s unprecedented speech to the Knesset -
overflowing with praise for Netanyahu’s leadership and Israel’s military
prowess. His admiration for Israel was unmistakable, and it was reciprocated —
even by members of Netanyahu’s opposition. In Israel, Trump is seen as a hero.
Biden? Not so much.
When you have a deep personal relationship with someone, you can criticize them out of goodwill. Trump wants to see a prosperous Middle East, a strong Israel - free of terrorist organizations like Hamas. That’s why he has given Israel the green light to eliminate Hamas if it crosses his red lines (but otherwise to leave them alone). He doesn’t want to upend the ceasefire or jeopardize the chance for a broader peace between Israel and her Arab neighbors. A peace that might even include some limited self-governance for the Palestinians - though the phrase ‘Palestinian state’ has vanished from the conversation. The fact that much of the world, even those once hostile to Israel, now supports this vision is a remarkable diplomatic achievement.
So when Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners do
something reckless — like voting to annex the West Bank — of course the
president will be angry. Vice President JD Vance rightly called it stupid and
insulting. Netanyahu said in response to that reaction that the vote to annex was ‘a
deliberate political provocation by the opposition to sow discord during the
Vice President’s visit to Israel’. Netanyahu’s rebuke of them wasn’t submission
to Trump. It was leadership and responsibility.
Similarly, when Israel attacked Hamas leadership on Qatari soil, Trump’s anger was understandable. Israel wanted to demonstrate its ability to strike its enemies anywhere . And it succeeded in sending that message, even if the mission didn’t fully achieve its goal.
The president on the other hand sees Qatar playing a vital role in his peace plan and they were instrumental in securing hostage releases. Attacking them undermined that
strategy. Netanyahu’s apology didn’t erase Israel’s message; it simply honored
the president’s request and preserved a key diplomatic relationship.
There have been other times when Trump’s language toward Israel or Netanyahu was sharp. But his core belief has never. wavered: that Israel has the right to exist securely as a Jewish state and that the Middle East can - and should - become a region of stability and prosperity for all its inhabitants. His respect for Netanyahu’s leadership remains intact, despite moments of tension where harsh words were used.
Yes, previous administrations supported Israel. But none
have shown the depth of personal commitment and strategic alignment
demonstrated by this one. That support helped free the hostages, end the
fighting, and strengthen Israel’s regional standing.
Of course, we can’t ignore the antisemitic elements that have tried to creep into Trump’s conservative base Some of whom have very powerful influences. But despite their huge following and a couple of high profile conservative politicians that have defended them. I believe they have been successfully marginalized as being outside the mainstream.
As long as Trump is the head of his conservative base, Israel will not be abandoned. And
antisemitism will not be tolerated.
Meanwhile, We are a long way from peace in the Middle East. Much still needs to happen. But maybe — just maybe we are on a path towards that long-sought after but elusive peace. And maybe it finally has a chance to come to fruition. Maybe even in my lifetime, God willing.
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