Trump Sets Clear Deadline for Middle East Conflicts Amid Strengthening Israel-US Ties
Israel has expressed great satisfaction following Donald Trump’s victory in the recent U.S. presidential election, and this sentiment has now been publicly confirmed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump have already spoken three times since Trump’s win last Tuesday, with their discussions aimed at further bolstering the strong alliance between Israel and the United States.
Netanyahu revealed on Sunday that their conversations “were designed to further strengthen the strong alliance between Israel and the U.S.,” adding, “We see eye to eye on the Iranian threat in all its aspects and the dangers it presents, as well as the opportunities for spreading peace in other areas.”
As expected, Netanyahu described his recent talks with Trump as “good and very important.” During Trump’s first term between 2016 and 2020, he unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and Western powers, later reimposing sanctions on Tehran. Trump also ordered the assassination of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, head of the Quds Force, and played a key role in brokering the Abraham Accords, in which several Arab nations formally recognized Israel. All these moves were highly favored in Israel.
The relationship between Trump and Netanyahu was tested when the Israeli Prime Minister congratulated then-president-elect Joe Biden after the 2020 U.S. election, despite Trump’s efforts to overturn the results. However, tensions between the two leaders have since been mended, as seen when Trump hosted Netanyahu and his wife at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida this past July. Netanyahu also congratulated Trump shortly after last week’s election and was one of the first global leaders to call the Republican candidate.
Despite his strong support for Israel, Trump has made it clear that he wants the ongoing wars in Gaza and Lebanon to end by his inauguration on January 20. He directly conveyed this message to Netanyahu and has informed the Biden administration that he expects progress toward a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, as reported by Ynet News on Sunday.
However, Joe Biden remains in power, and Netanyahu’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer has traveled to Washington to discuss ways of achieving a ceasefire in Lebanon. Dermer is also expected to meet with Trump and his team, indicating that Netanyahu’s government is not counting on an immediate end to the conflict. Dermer’s office declined to comment on the visit, but reports suggest he was in Moscow last week for a secret meeting to explore Russia’s potential role in brokering peace between Israel and Hezbollah.
In a notable move, Netanyahu appointed Yechiel Leiter, a strong advocate of the Gaza war and a long-time proponent of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, a position condemned by nearly every country, including the Biden administration. Leiter, a U.S.-born Israeli citizen, has consistently called for Israel’s formal annexation of the West Bank. During his first term, Trump shifted U.S. policy, declaring that Israeli settlements in the West Bank were no longer considered illegal under international law. Many settler leaders are now calling for Israel to formally annex the West Bank following Trump’s re-election.
While Netanyahu focuses on Trump, Israeli President Isaac Herzog is set to meet with Joe Biden on Tuesday. Herzog is in the U.S. to attend the annual General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America, which opened Sunday night with a massive rally at Nationals Park in Washington. Officially, Herzog is not scheduled to meet with Trump or his associates, although informal meetings have not been ruled out by Israeli media.
Despite Israel’s preference for Donald Trump, American Jews do not share the same level of enthusiasm. According to a Fox News poll, Kamala Harris won 66% of the Jewish vote in the recent U.S. election compared to 32% for Trump. In Pennsylvania, a key swing state with over 400,000 Jewish residents, 75% voted for Harris, while 23% supported Trump, who still won the state. The survey also showed that the key issues for Jewish voters are the future of democracy and abortion rights. While they express strong support for Israel, they also oppose Netanyahu and favor diplomatic solutions to conflicts with Iran and the Palestinians.