The return of US President Donald Trump to the White House allows Israel to engage in more confident negotiation tactics that will allow it to argue for better deals, former senior Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) official Moshe Pozailov told Maariv on Sunday.
Pozailov, now a national security researcher at the Misgav Institute, said that a significant shift in the international arena could benefit Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a security assessment on Saturday night in Jerusalem to discuss ongoing efforts to secure and advance the release of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip, following the release of Sagui Dekel Chen, Iair Horn, and Alexander Sasha Troufanov earlier on Saturday.
Defense Minister Israel Katz, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, and senior officials from the Defense Ministry and the negotiating team participated in the meeting.
Israel reportedly aims to expedite the release of hostages in the first phase of the deal, with all six living hostages expected to be freed within a week.
“In my opinion, what greatly helps Israel is the fact that the newly elected US president is Donald Trump. He is the person who came to do the right thing. We were in a situation where lies became truth, good became bad, and this president arrived to set things straight,” Pozailov said.
He added that Trump’s involvement provides Israel with strategic stability.
“I believe that because Trump is deeply involved in the process, Israel can be more at ease. The president has stated that Hamas is out of the picture, that Israel needs to decide on a deadline, and that he supports any decision Israel makes. This illustrates how significant the opportunity is following Trump’s involvement,” Pozailov noted.
He also suggested that Trump’s presence is influencing Netanyahu’s approach.
“I think the prime minister feels much more confident managing risks with a partner like Trump than with the previous one,” he said.
Current and future dangers in the Gaza Strip
Addressing the current security situation in the Gaza Strip, Pozailov warned of imminent challenges.
“The IDF has withdrawn from the area. We are once again leaving the Philadelphi Corridor to the goodwill of the Egyptians, which is not a favorable situation. The Netzarim Corridor is open, and in two or three weeks, everything could return to the previous state,” he cautioned.
However, Pozailov argued that Trump serves as a deterrent.
“A single significant anchor like President Trump is enough to prevent the scenarios I mentioned earlier. He gives Israel the ability to return to warfare and carry out necessary operations that have not been done so far. I believe the other side knows and understands this. This is the most significant threat,” he said.
It remains to be seen how the government will leverage the shift in the balance of power and whether Trump will indeed grant Israel the military freedom of action it seeks.