While many American Jews are rushing to the barricades to
fight against Donald Trump, a man they consider to be the reincarnation of
Hitler, Israelis see things differently.
Christopher Ruddy, the CEO of Newsmax is hardly an objective
observer. Yet, we have no reason to reject his take on the Israeli attitude
toward Donald Trump. After all, it is consistent with the polls. And the polls
don’t lie… do they? Besides, we know that Israelis despised Barack Obama, as
did the Saudis, the Egyptians and other Sunni Arab nations.
Ruddy writes:
I just
left Israel after meeting with top officials, media personalities, tech
entrepreneurs, and many citizens from all walks of life.
The
overwhelming view was that America was lucky to have a strong and resolute
president like Donald Trump.
Israelis
are well informed and especially clued in on U.S. media – many can catch CNN
and Fox News on TV – and they expressed bafflement to me that the
American media has been so hostile to President Trump.
For the
Jewish state, Trump is a breath of fresh air. After eight years of Obama, who
tilted U.S. policy toward Iran and gave Israel a cold shoulder, many are
breathing a sigh of relief.
A
recent Jerusalem Post poll found that 61 percent of Israel's Jews believe Trump
is "pro-Israel" and a Pew survey of all nations found Israel to be
the second strongest supporter of Trump, with 56 percent saying they had full
confidence in him.
Israelis even thought that Trump was more pro-Israeli than
George W. Bush, another president that left thinking American Jews despise:
Senior
Israeli officials I spoke with say President Trump has been the most supportive
of any U.S. president in recent memory, including George W. Bush, who also was
quite popular.
The Trump national security is considered to be strongly
pro-Israeli:
One
high-ranking Israeli official told me that the equation for Israel has changed
because of three key Trump officials: Jared Kushner, the president's special
adviser, Secretary of Defense James Mattis, and National Security Adviser H.R.
McMaster.
Kushner,
to whom the president has given the task of resolving the Arab-Israeli
conflict, understands that Israel is the cornerstone of regional stability.
Previous
administrations typically began their peace process by blaming Israel. Kushner
took a different approach by affirming Israel as a U.S. ally.
Both
Mattis and McMaster, the official said, grasp the strategic role Israel has
played for U.S. security in the region and they have been stalwart in their
support.
What do the Israelis see that others do not see? Ruddy
explains:
Today,
under Trump, ISIS is being crushed.
Qatar,
a Gulf state that has "played both sides" but consistently helps fund
the bad guys, including the Muslim Brotherhood, is being contained.
Trump
is also taking Iran's role in sponsoring terrorism as a great threat to the
region. Trump has been praised for being willing to tackle the Iranian problem
as he is tackling North Korea.
Trump's
outreach to Putin could be crucial in dealing with Iran and North Korea, one
official said.
And besides, wasn't Trump the cutest little boy you've ever seen when he suggested he could lead peace in the middle east. Of course this was before the whole world discovered that health care was complicated. Who knew?!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2017/05/trump-middle-east-peace-is-not-as-difficult-as-people-have-thought/525267/
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“We want to create peace between Israel and the Palestinians. We will get it done,” Trump said. “We will be working so hard to get it done. I think there is a very good chance and I think we will.”
At a lunch later on, he was even bolder: “It is something that I think is frankly, maybe, not as difficult as people have thought over the years.”
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This is another example of the saying, "Knowing that you'll be hanged in the morning concentrates the mind." Israelis are surrounded by enemies who have stated their intentions to destroy Israel, Israelis, and any other Jews that they can. Trump recognizes that.
ReplyDeleteI was 2 in 1948. Muslims call it Al Nakba, I think. The Catastrophe.
ReplyDeleteAnd every war, Uprising, & aggression since.
"Peace" is a chimera. Never happen. Impossible.
But WMDs are on the horizon. Muslims would not blanch if M's of their own died.
Mohammed (PBUH) and his minions exterminated the Jews of Arabia.
The 2 Kingdoms of Jerusalem each survived for a century.
Saladin (a Kurd) and his army destroyed the first. Mamelukes the second.
Napoleon's occupation lasted mere months.
I, philo-Jewish, am not optimistic. Sadly. -- Rich Lara