A Passover thought or two
There is no doubt that President Trump is a friend of Israel.
Ron Weiser
At the same time, he is not a member of the World Zionist Organisation.
The question is the nature of the friendship, which is looking increasingly in some important areas, like that of a parent with a young child, when the parent ‘knows better’ what is good for the child and what the child ‘really needs.’
This is the problem when Zionism is outsourced to an unpredictable and transactional president of the United States.
We are in a very fluid situation, which can literally change at any moment.
The whole world is reeling from the rates of tariffs imposed by the United States.
It is true that Prime Minister Netanyahu was the first world leader to meet in the White House since the tariffs were announced. Israel was hit harder than Australia for example, with the imposition of a 17% tariff, compared to that of 10% on Australian goods.
It is also true that being the first, and in this very early stage, Netanyahu probably had little chance of success in having Trump change the rate on Israel, as that would have opened up the whole question of whether Trump was serious or not about his tariffs.
Whilst the holding of the meeting was a compliment to Netanyahu and Israel, it was too early in the process for Trump to either blink and/or claim success.
However, we should take a cautionary note from what Trump said to reporters on Monday about possible tariff reductions for Israel: “Well, we’re talking about a whole new trade — maybe not, maybe not. Now, don’t forget we help Israel a lot. You know, we give Israel $4 billion a year. That’s a lot. Congratulations, by the way. That’s pretty good. But we give Israel billions of dollars a year. Billions. It’s one of the highest of any … we give a lot of countries money.”
An area of important security interest for Israel involves the developing situation in Syria, where Israel is taking strong action to deter Turkey from dominating the country. This was another agenda item in Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump.
President Erdogan has called for Israel’s destruction numerous times, most recently at a mosque in Turkey less than two weeks ago where he said in a public speech: “May Allah destroy Zionist Israel in his holy name.”
On this matter, Netanyahu must have been disappointed by Trump’s reaction.
Trump said he has a great relationship with Erdogan, moreover Erdogan is someone he “likes very much and considers very smart.”
Trump says he congratulated Erdogan on doing “what nobody has done in 2,000 years, taking over Syria” referring to the Islamic rebels, calling them “a Turkish proxy.”
Trump told Netanyahu “Any problem that you have with Turkey, I think we can solve, as long as you are reasonable, you have to be reasonable.”
Reasonable? As long as Israel is reasonable? With a Turkish leader who supports Hamas and advocates the destruction of Israel?
No, it is nowhere near the situation between the US and Ukraine, but there are elements of it here.
Where Trump excels is in focussing on the hostages. No doubt he is personally committed to their release. It is fair to say that the families of the hostages feel he is more invested in their freedom, than Netanyahu.
59 hostages still remain in Hamas hands.
There is an understanding that military attempts to free them, may result in their murder by their Hamas captors.
Which brings us to the issue of red lines.
Time and time again now, Trump has issued deadlines for their release “or else.” These deadlines have often passed with no result, but not for lack of US effort.
Obama lost all credibility in the Middle East when he issued a red line declaration about Assad not using chemical weapons on his own people, which was not then enforced.
Trump has a reputation for enforcing some red lines and letting others lapse quietly. Or be explained away.
The jury is still out on Trump here, however he still retains a large degree of credibility, when he does make ultimatums.
Yes, he has strongly attacked the Houthis in Yemen, much more so than Biden did, yet Israelis are still running to shelters.
Trump has maintained a sort of dual policy on Iran. Threatening that any Houthi attack was the responsibility of Iran and that Iran would pay the price, whilst only bombing the Houthis and offering Iran talks on removing their military nuclear program, before resorting to direct force.
Netanyahu appears to have been surprised by Trump’s announcement that the US would begin direct talks with Iran on Saturday.
The Iranians publicly responded that there would be no direct talks, but rather that Oman would act as intermediary.
Either way, once again, Israel will not be at the table and yet how those talks go are vital to Israel’s interests and future.
The red line question for Trump’s credibility will be, what he does if/when diplomatic efforts to denuclearise Iran fail.
A final note for now, on the relationship with President Trump.
A lifelong committed supporter of Israel is US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who has truly been, and continues to be, a great friend of Israel.
Graham is also a Trumper and a staunch supporter of Ukraine.
Following that disastrous meeting Zelensky had with Trump earlier in the year, it was Graham who, somewhat surprisingly, turned on Zelensky, saying he was not thankful enough to Trump and the US and told reporters it was uncertain whether the US could do business with Zelensky in the future.
Again, Israel is not Ukraine and the relationship between Trump and Israel is, so far, solid and light years away from that of Ukraine.
But some warning signs are there.
On the 1st of April, in the ongoing farce that is the relationship between the almost sacked head of the Shin Bet (Israel’s Internal Security Service), Ronen Bar, and the Netanyahu government, and the High Court – Netanyahu nominated Admiral Eli Sharvit for the position of new Shin Bet chief.
Sharvit’s nomination lasted less than 24 hours before it was withdrawn.
There were internal issues for this, apparently Sharvit had attended an anti-judicial reform protest and so, the government alleged, he could not be trusted to follow their directions.
This in itself raises so many questions. However, the clincher, was when Lindsey Graham got into the act, in a raw public display of US interference, in what should have been a wholly Israeli decision.
Graham wrote on X: “While it is undeniably true that America has no better friend than Israel, the appointment of Eli Sharvit to be the new leader of the Shin Bet is beyond problematic. There has never been a better supporter for the State of Israel than President Trump. The statements made by Eli Sharvit about President Trump and his policies will create unnecessary stress at a critical time. My advice to my Israeli friends is to change course and do better vetting.”
Sharvit, gone.
His ‘crime’? He had written an article critical of Trump’s climate policy.
We are approaching Yom Ha’atzmaut. Israel’s Independence Day.
The day that celebrates the Jewish people, after millennia of powerlessness, determining the Jewish future.
And just before that, Passover, the Festival of Freedom.
The Jewish people are at a crossroads – which direction to take should be in our own hands, rather than be outsourced, to even the friendliest of US presidents and his acolytes.
Chag Sameach
Am Yisrael Chai.
