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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - U.S. President Donald Trump faces a warm welcome by parts of the Israeli public in the early moments of his return to the White House, Al Jazeera reports, in contrast to Biden’s—supportive, but occasionally uneasy towards Israel's actions—administration, which made some Israelis unhappy.
Trump’s government, on the other hand, is seen as a return to an unwavering supportive position for Israel.
Trump's involvement in the ceasefire that resulted in the release of Israeli hostages from Gaza and his enthusiastic suggestions to ethnically cleanse Gaza have raised Israel's hope that his second term will be as pro-Israel as his first.
Here are some examples of Trump’s uncritical support for Israel, as quoted from Al Jazeera:
Diplomacy
Trump's diplomatic steps and appointments reflect his unwavering support for Israel.
In November 2024, Trump nominated pro-Israel former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as the next ambassador to Israel. Huckabee opposed the two-state solution, which would give way to a Palestinian state, and even questioned whether “such a thing as a Palestinian exists.”
Trump's previous ambassador to Israel was David Friedman, who is hardline and pro-settlement in occupied Palestinian territory.
Trump also nominated Elise Stefanik as the U.S. ambassador to the UN. Stefanik said that Israel has 'biblical rights' to the West Bank.
During Trump’s first term, in 2017, the Republican president said the entire Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, regardless of Palestine's plan to declare occupied East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.
He also moved the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Under the Trump administration, the US cut all funding for the Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA in 2018.
In November 2019, on the grounds of anti-Israel bias, the U.S. was the only country to vote alongside Israel against the eight resolutions of the 4th UN committee aimed at supporting Palestinian rights, condemning Israeli settlements, upholding refugee protection, ensuring the provision of humanitarian aid, and strengthening existing international law.
In 2020, Trump pushed the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. This encouraged economic ties and security cooperation with Israel in exchange for US assistance or diplomatic support.
Support for the Expansion of Israeli Territory
Trump's full support for illegal Israeli settlements in Palestinian land and other steps to expand its territory is evident, the earliest being his reversal of decades-long U.S. policy for his recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over Israel-occupied Golan Heights.
Then, in November 2019, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo overrode his department's 1978 legal opinion that the settlements were illegal, saying, “establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank is not, per se, inconsistent with international law.” International law is clear on it being illegal.
In 2020, Trump presented the Peace to Prosperity" plan, which Palestinians firmly rejected. The plan placed Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and allowed for annexation on much of the West Bank, legitimizing Israel’s illegal settlements in the occupied territory.
The Trump administration was previously silent on new constructions of Illegal settlements in several parts of the occupied territory of Palestine, including Givat Hamatos and Hebron, which started in late 2019.
The proposal also required Palestine to meet strict conditions before being granted statehood, including Hamas disarmament, recognizing Israel as a Jewish state, and relinquishing resistance to Israeli occupation in exchange for economic investment but no sovereignty.
Attacking the International Court
In 2019, the ICC announced that there was a reasonable basis to investigate potential war crimes by Israel in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, which Trump’s government strongly opposed.
The following year, facing harsh international rejection, U.S. imposed sanctions on ICC officials, including Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, by restricting visas and freezing their assets.
According to Reuters, the move has since been overturned in April 2021, in which the then Secretary of State Antony Blinken said were “inappropriate and ineffective” measures.
Confronting Israel's Regional Foes
In his first four years, the Trump administration specifically focused on confronting many of Israel's regional rivals, including Lebanese Hezbollah. In 2018, Trump reimposed severe economic sanctions on Iran, and, folllowing Netanyahu’s campaigning, withdrew from the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal.
In April 2019, the U.S. designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a 'terrorist group,' hoping to isolate it internationally. Trump’s government went even further as to kill IRGC commander Qassem Soleimani, weakening Iran's regional influence and its ability to hold military positions in other Middle Eastern countries.
AL JAZEERA | REUTERS
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