Trump must not leave Israel out of his Middle East deals
When the annual Israel Day parade marches up Fifth Avenue Sunday, count on the huge New York crowd to once again be joyful and boisterous.
But underneath the celebration, there lurks a growing concern, one that is dominating many conversations in New York, across America and in Israel itself.
What is President Trump up to?
Advertisement
Given some of his recent actions and comments, especially during his whirlwind trip to three Arab monarchies last week, it's an understandable question.
The fear is that Trump is falling in love with a kumbaya fantasy about the region that could end up further isolating and endangering the embattled Jewish state.
Here is how the Times of Israel described the mood in a Friday article: 'As US President Donald Trump jetted from one sprawling palace to another, embracing Arab leaders and heralding a new Middle East this week, many in Israel worried that the best partner they've ever had in the White House had lost interest.'
Advertisement
It went on to cite a columnist who wrote that 'there was a party in the Middle East — a grand ball full of colorful costumes, money and gold changing hands — and we found ourselves playing the role of Cinderella before the transformation.'
Lack of communication
Some of the reasons for the wall of worry involve the growing boldness of antisemites around the world, including in the US. Many European parties, like the Democrats in America, are home to pro-terror agitators, while Trump has been regarded as the most reliable friend.
Lately, however, the president kept Israel in the dark about important moves, including his cease-fire deal with the Houthis that did not require the Yemeni terrorists to stop firing rockets and missiles at Israel.
Advertisement
Before that, Trump did not tell Israel he was starting talks with Iran until just days before the first meeting.
And the fact that his Middle East trip did not include a stop in Israel underscored the view that his once-close relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has soured.
Additionally, the US negotiated directly with Hamas for the release of the only living American hostage in Gaza, Edan Alexander. The terror group called his release a goodwill gesture to Trump.
The move ignored 20 other hostages thought to be alive and was seen as undercutting Israel as it begins a large-scale military effort in Gaza to eliminate Hamas and launch a murky day-after occupation plan.
Advertisement
Still, there was some surprisingly good news for Israel in Trump's trip.
During his meeting with the new leader of Syria, the first between the countries in 25 years, Trump encouraged interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa to recognize Israel and join the Abraham Accords.
And by the time Trump arrived back in Washington, there were reports that Israel and Syria had indeed started talking about the possibility.
In ordinary times, that would be a sensational development. After all, Syria never accepted Israel's right to exist and often welcomed terrorists to use it as a base from which to strike the Jewish state.
But with Trump and his unorthodox ways, these are not ordinary times, and the talks represent a tangible outcome of his trip to the Arab kingdoms of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Spreading his gospel of peace and prosperity, the president conveyed an optimistic vision for the region and threw open the doors to any and all who would embrace that vision — and, of course, buy American products.
That he secured as much as $2 trillion in deals makes the trip a resounding success in terms of the jobs that will be created in the US.
Positive talks
Advertisement
It's also a fact that, in geopolitical terms, his trip reinvigorates America's presence in a region where China has been making inroads in its quest for global dominance.
Equally significant is that the president is talking positively about a possible deal with Iran to end the mullahs' quest for nukes, which further illustrates his expansive view of what's possible.
While even some Democrats acknowledged that Trump's energy and sheer force of personality on the world stage were good for America and global stability, Israelis are not wrong to worry that what's good for Trump and the US in the short run might not be good for them.
Advertisement
The sticking points are the usual ones: Hamas, the Houthis and above all, Iran, which represents an existential threat to Israel.
The fear is that any deal with Iran covering its nuclear facilities will only be a temporary fix, like the flimsy pact Barack Obama crafted, and sooner or later, the mullahs will be back in the business of enriching uranium for use in a nuclear weapon aimed at Tel Aviv.
Netanyahu preferred a joint military action to destroy the known facilities, but Trump, after seeming to agree, decided he wanted to give negotiations another chance.
For Israel, no matter what promises Iran makes, anything less than complete destruction of the plants will restart its progress toward an inevitable nuke.
Advertisement
Moreover, if Trump removes American sanctions as part of a deal, as he has promised, Iran would have the money to continue funding Hamas, the Houthis and even perhaps a rejuvenated Hezbollah in Lebanon, making another Oct. 7 possible.
Trump is clearly aware of Israel's concern, and in addition to the pitch to Syria, also publicly urged Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords.
It would also help if he were to embrace a 'no surprise' rule with Israel. For example, it would have cost the president nothing to tip off Netanyahu about the outreach to Iran before it became public.
And his Houthi deal should have included a ban on attacks on Israel.
Avoid big wars
Advertisement
As it was, the sudden news of the America-only cease-fire and the invitation to Iran fueled fears that Trump had cut Israel out of the loop and made a beleaguered Netanyahu look weak at home.
Yet Trump is not wrong to give a peaceful outcome with Iran a final chance.
Although he showed no hesitation in droning Iran's terror general, Qasem Soleimani, during his first term, the president genuinely wants to avoid big wars, and has reshaped the GOP to reflect that sentiment.
Long gone are the days of George W. Bush and the disastrous invasion of Iraq.
As Trump made clear in his key speech in Saudi Arabia, he is not a fan of 'the so-called nation-builders, neocons or liberal nonprofits like those who spent trillions and trillions of dollars failing to develop Kabul, Baghdad and so many other cities.'
Besides, we will know soon enough what his bottom line is on Iran.
When he invited the Supreme Leader in the middle of March to begin negotiations, Trump put a time limit of two months on the talks.
If Iran didn't agree to destroy its facilities by then, he vowed that America, with Israel's help, would do it for them.
The deadline has arrived. It's decision time, Mr. President.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
16 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Democrats look for reinvention and a new playbook against Trump in key committee race
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats are quietly engaged in a behind-the-scenes race for a key committee position, the second time in as many months that the party has had to fill one of the most prized positions in Congress. Four Democrats are running to be the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, an investigative panel with public clout, subpoena power and an expansive portfolio. The position is open due to the death last month of Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia. While Democrats in the minority have little power to shape the committee's work, the ranking member position comes with an enormous platform — and the possibility of becoming chair if the party wins back the majority in next year's midterm elections. Whoever wins will immediately be squaring off against Republicans as they prepare for splashy hearings this summer on immigration enforcement , LGBTQ rights and former President Joe Biden's age and mental condition while in office. As they hear from the candidates, Democrats are weighing many of the factors that were in play late last year, when Connolly, a veteran member of the committee, fended off a challenge from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. A look at how the race is shaping up: The age factor The debate over Biden's age coincides with a reckoning over seniority and generational change happening across the Democratic Party. Four House Democrats are running for the position: Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts, the acting ranking member; Jasmine Crockett of Texas, a viral sensation; Robert Garcia, a former Los Angeles County mayor who has pitched colleagues on a government reform agenda; and Kweisi Mfume of Maryland, former president of the NAACP and civil rights advocate. While Lynch is the most senior of the four, Democrats broadly said they are more open to breaking from seniority than they were in December, when Connolly, then 74, beat out Ocasio-Cortez, 35, for the job. Democrats are interested in how the candidates would communicate with the public, how they would help support lawmakers in battleground districts — and of course, how they would challenge President Donald Trump and his administration. How the four Democrats are making their case Crockett, 44, has pitched herself as the candidate best able to compete with Trump's pugnacious and attention-grabbing style. Democrats, Crockett has argued, often fail to connect with voters and explain why the president's actions may be harmful. She believes she can. 'It's a matter of bringing that in, having a hearing and making sure that we are translating it and amplifying it,' Crockett told MSNBC in an interview. 'Communications has to be a full-on strategy.' Garcia, 47, has focused on government reform and effectiveness, a key issue for Democrats after the Trump administration's blitz across federal agencies and mass firings of federal workers by billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. Mfume, 76, has attracted support from members impressed by his longtime stewardship of the nation's oldest civil rights group. He returned to Congress after decades leading the NAACP following the death of a previous Democratic Oversight chair, the late Congressman Elijah Cummings, a fellow Baltimore Democrat. Lynch, 70, has styled himself as the acting chair and the lawmaker best positioned to take on the committee's chairman, Republican James Comer of Kentucky. 'There are some members who speak to a very narrow audience, and that's great,' Lynch said. 'We want them to be energized and animated. But that same person is not going to go to the Rust Belt with people that are farmers, moderates, conservatives,' Lynch told The Associated Press. 'You need different voices to appeal to different constituencies.' 'I think I have a better chance of bringing back the blue-collar working people, and I have less of a chance of appealing to very younger people who are intensely invested in social media,' Lynch said. What's ahead as Democrats make their choice The vote for Oversight ranking member is scheduled for June 24 and will be conducted by secret ballot. All four candidates are speaking before multiple caucuses this week, including the New Democrats and the progressive caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. While many Democrats are undecided, others have made up their mind. Some who are privately stumping for their candidate believe it will be a tight race. That makes the public forums and private pitches even more crucial in the run-up to the vote. House progressives are divided over their preferred choice. Three members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus — Crockett, Garcia and Mfume — are vying for the ranking member seat, which makes it unlikely the caucus will back a single candidate. 'We're looking for folks that could expose this kind of corruption and hold Trump and his billionaire donors accountable,' said Rep. Greg Casar of Texas, the Progressive Caucus chair. Rep. Brad Schneider, chair of the centrist New Democrat Coalition, said he's weighing two factors: which candidate could best help Democrats win the 2026 midterm elections and whether they can successfully lead investigations into the Trump administration and 'try to repair some of the damage that's been done.' 'The committee can be a flash point, or it can be a very effective place for us to make our point, and we want to know who's going to do best in that role to make sure the committee works to help us secure 218 (members) next November,' Schneider said. The role of seniority and the Congressional Black Caucus Some Democratic caucuses have traditionally prized seniority as a clear and reliable way for lawmakers of color to rise through the ranks. There has never been a Hispanic Oversight chairman and only one Black chairman, Elijah Cummings. 'The CBC has always stood for seniority,' said Rep. Hank Johnson of Georgia. But Johnson noted that the Black Caucus has at times 'deviated' from that norm. He said many in the caucus are open to a conversation about age. 'So, Steve Lynch, I think, is the next senior member. And but as I said, other factors have to be considered and I'm sure that, along with myself, other CBC members are going through that process,' Johnson said. 'Since I've been here, seniority has had weight,' said Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, who said he was undecided on which candidate to back. 'But seniority is not the only thing. And there are times and circumstances where the person with the most seniority has not won. Whether that's one of these times or not is what we're going to see.' ___ Associated Press writer Leah Askarinam contributed to this report. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Bad actors in LA protests a 'good thing' for Trump's immigration agenda: Chuck Rocha
Protests in Los Angeles and other cities continue as citizens protest ICE raids taking place in their communities. Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha encourages Americans to protest if they have disagreements with the government but cautions against bad actors who cause destruction and violence, saying, "Those are the imagery Donald Trump wants to see … because it's a good thing for him." Rocha talks about how President Trump campaigned on immigration, which he says is a key reason Trump was reelected. Rocha believes Democrats have a hard time sticking to core values and need to return to those if they want to win elections. #DonaldTrump #LosAngeles #ICEprotests
Axios
18 minutes ago
- Axios
Pam Bondi: LA protesters "very different" to Jan. 6 rioters Trump pardoned
The Trump administration is "not scared to go further" in its response to Los Angeles ' ongoing fiery protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Wednesday. Why it matters: President Trump has referred to protesters as "insurrectionists" and has already taken the rare steps of federalizing California's National Guard and deploying the Marines to LA, prompting reporters to ask Bondi whether he'll next use emergency powers under the Insurrection Act. California's Democratic leaders have expressed strong opposition to the federal response, and Trump and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) have traded insults as they blamed each other for the unrest. What they're saying: "Right now, in California, what we're doing is working," Bondi said, after being asked about whether Trump would invoke the 1807 law that allows presidents to deploy U.S. troops to quell domestic unrest. "By bringing in the National Guard, by bringing in the Marines, right now, to back them up, to protect our federal buildings, to protect highways, to protect the citizens," she said during her briefing with reporters. "So, right now, in California, we're at a good point. We're not scared to go further. We're not frightened to do something else if we need to." Bondi expressed hope that the federal action and the downtown night-time curfew that LA Mayor Karen Bass imposed on Tuesday to address looting and vandalism would bring the situation under control. Of note: Newsom in a Tuesday night address said that Trump is "not opposed to lawlessness and violence, as long as it serves HIM," adding: "What more evidence do we need than Jan. 6th?" A reporter asked Bondi whether there was a double standard in the administration defending law enforcement during the current protests when Trump pardoned most of the roughly 1,500 Jan. 6 rioters during his first day back in office. "Well, this is very different," Bondi said. "These are people out there hurting people in California right now. This is ongoing." State of play: There have now been six days of ICE protests in LA, and they've triggered similar demonstrations nationwide.
