President Trump’s Victory Is Vital for Israel
President Trump’s decisive victory in the recent election helped lead to Republican wins in the Senate and Congress. This shift enables the Republican Party to implement its policies and move away from destructive Democratic policies. In a complete turnaround from the Biden administration, President Trump has prioritized combating antisemitism, supporting Israel, and addressing threats from Iran.
The United States Department of Education adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Working Definition of Antisemitism under President Obama’s administration. However, the Trump administration has applied it more aggressively upon examining questions of antisemitism under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 2019, President Trump signed an executive order to combat antisemitism. This made it easier to apply laws that prohibit institutional discrimination against people based on race, color, national origin, and religion.
President Trump has actively opposed those who deny Israel’s right to exist. He criticized universities for not addressing rising antisemitism amid pro-Hamas and anti-Israel protests, particularly following the October 7th attacks on Israel. He warned that institutions allowing such incidents will face serious repercussions, including losing accreditation and federal support.
In 2017, President Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moved the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This action fulfilled the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act passed by Congress, which had not been implemented by earlier presidents.
In the White House Rose Garden, President Trump presided over the singing of The Abraham Accords, the first Middle East peace agreement in 26 years. This historic agreement laid the groundwork for diplomatic relations between Israel and four Arab nations; the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. This landmark agreement led to more than one million people travelling back and forth between these countries and trade rocketed to more than ten billion dollars in the first three years.
The Abraham Accords brought Israel into the U.S. Central Command’s area, aiding regional security cooperation. This partnership was effective on April 13, 2024, when combined Israeli, American, and Arab air defenses intercepted all Iranian missiles and drones targeting Israel.
In addition to the Abrahamic Accords, the Trump Administration held the Peace to Prosperity Conference in Bahrain. The conference aimed to create economic opportunities for Palestinians and sought to establish deeper ties with Israel and the wider region. Following the conference, the Trump Administration released a comprehensive plan for Israeli and Palestinian peace called the Trump Peace Plan. Although the plan was not accepted by the PLO, it was endorsed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The plan is part of a series of proposals made over the years, which some Palestinian groups have not accepted. Currently, some Palestinians continue to reject peace offers that recognize Israel’s right to exist.
President Trump emphasized that expanding the Abraham Accords is a top priority for his administration. In an interview with Al Arabiya, he claimed he could have added 12-15 countries to the agreement within a year if he had won the 2020 election. Trump stated, “Peace in the Middle East is something we need.”
In 2018, President Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, acknowledging that he clearly understood the existential threats facing Israel from Syria. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria during the Six-Days War in 1967. In 1981 Israel annexed the region.
Currently, Israel is facing attacks on multiple fronts, including by Iran backed terror groups in southern Syria. The Golan Heights are serving as a buffer zone from those potential ground attacks, critical to saving many Israelis lives. Now with the sudden regime change in Syria, in which President Bashar al-Assad was toppled, the dynamics may have changed. However, the continuing critical importance of the Golan Heights are still vital to Israel’s security.
One of the primary goals of the earlier Trump administration was reaching and Israeli Palestinian peace. However, after several failed attempts to engage the Palestinian Liberation Organization, the U.S. Administration took steps to reprimanded the Palestinians due to the lack of their cooperation.
These actions began in 2018. The PLO mission in Washington D.C. and the cutting of U.S. aid to the United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) contributed to these measures. This was followed by the passage of two laws, the Taylor Force Act, and the Antiterrorism Clarification Act. These acts made it illegal for the U.S. Government to provide funds that directly benefit the Palestinian Authority. The Taylor Force Act and the Antiterrorism Clarification Act were in response to the vile Palestinian Authority’s longstanding policy and practice of paying stipends to terrorists, including those convicted of murder and long-term prison sentences, and to the families of so-called “martyrs’ who died while committing acts of terror against Israelis.
During his first term, President Trump took several significant actions against Iran. Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) in 2018, calling it a “disastrous” agreement. In addition, he implemented the “Maximum pressure” campaign, reinstating harsh economic sanctions targeting and crippling Iran’s economy. These sanctions focused on key industries, including oil exports, which significantly reduced Iran’s foreign currency reserves. President Trump also implemented military actions against Iran, including the 2020 airstrike that killed top Iranian general Qasem Solemani, head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC), a U.S. designated terror group.
Recently, President Trump criticized President Biden’s administration for their handling of Iran, blaming them for the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. Trump claimed his “Maximum pressure” campaign successfully weakened Iran by nearly bankrupting it with U.S. sanctions, preventing funds from reaching terror groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. He emphasized that his tougher approach limited Iran’s nuclear ambitions and regional influence. In a recent speech, Trump reiterated, “I’m not going to start wars, I’m going to stop wars.”
President Trump’s recent victory offers Israel a chance to foster peace through strength and collaboration with his administration. This is a historic moment to pursue peace with the Palestinians and the Arab world.