Trump, Hamas and the Logic of Interest

When Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine, I warned that this was not a regional conflict but a global confrontation between democracies and dictatorships. It was a shift from a world governed by rules to a world ruled by terror. Yet, many in Israel dismissed this warning, insisting that it was merely a private struggle between Russia and Ukraine—one that had little to do with them.

Even Iran’s growing support for Russia did not change this perception. It should have been obvious that Iran was using Ukraine as a testing ground for future aggression against Israel. And yet, the alarms went unheeded.

After October 7, 2023, my warnings were tragically confirmed. Hamas’s attack on Israel shattered illusions of separation between conflicts. And yet, even as the reality became undeniable, both Israelis and Ukrainians hesitated to see the full picture. Israel still sought to localize the war, to keep it within the confines of Gaza, while Ukraine avoided drawing direct connections between Russia’s war and the turmoil in the Middle East. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Israel never materialized—not only because of resistance in Jerusalem but because, in the end, Kyiv itself lost interest. The understanding that both nations share the same enemy was never fully formed.

With Donald Trump’s return to the White House, any lingering illusions should now be put to rest. The new American president has never concealed his indifference to Ukraine or his admiration for Vladimir Putin. He is prepared to pressure Ukraine into a humiliating peace while presenting himself as a staunch defender of Israel. His rhetoric has long reflected a political divide in America—Democrats are more inclined to support Ukraine, while Republicans express greater sympathy for Israel.

But Trump’s secret negotiations with Hamas have shattered even this fragile illusion. His actions reveal a stark truth: Trump will not act in the interests of either Ukraine or Israel. He will act in his own interests. And those interests are not grounded in principles, but in expediency, in the pursuit of quick and flashy victories.

The problem with Trump and his supporters is that they do not distinguish between good and evil. They mock morality as mere moralizing. This is why Trump speaks warmly of Putin, even as Russian missiles reduce Ukrainian cities to rubble. This is why his administration has withdrawn intelligence support from Ukraine, making it easier for Russia to carry out deadly strikes. And this is why Trump is now engaging in negotiations with Hamas, seeking the release of American hostages while showing little concern for the fate of Israeli captives—or for what will happen to Israel when the war ends.

Israelis may be shocked by Trump campaign official Steve Witkoff suggestion that Hamas must start “doing good things,” but this is the same language Trump’s team likely uses in secret talks with Russia about ending the war in Ukraine. Those who see nothing immoral in Putin’s actions will see nothing immoral in Hamas either. And no personal background, no Jewish heritage, will change that fundamental reality.

Israel and Ukraine can survive only in a world that respects the rule of law, a world where dialogue is political, not dictated by violence. A world where terrorists are not given a seat at the negotiating table. A world where Israel’s right to exist is as unquestionable as Ukraine’s. And, most importantly, a world where these rights are not subject to the whims of great powers striking backroom deals.

This is the world we must fight for.