Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was the first foreign leader to visit President Donald Trump at the White House in his second term. Their talks marked the return to the US-Israel relationship of deep respect, friendship, and trust that had been missing in the previous four years.
This strong, vital alliance between the world’s largest democracy and the Middle East’s only democracy has the potential to change the status quo and bring real peace to the region. Trump has a proven record of bringing innovative thinking to tough problems.
The Abraham Accords that he shepherded in 2020 brought Arab and Muslim states to open full diplomatic relations with Israel. The positive results of those relationships continue to grow.
Under the current president’s leadership in his previous term, the US formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moved our embassy there. The US defended Israel in the UN and withdrew from its biased and corrupt Human Rights Council.
The unwavering American support for Israel strengthened our ally and set a new tone for US Middle East policy. After the Biden administration hiatus, that support and friendship have been renewed, with great results.
Just weeks ago, Trump made it clear that the Israeli hostages held by Hamas, including several Americans, had to be returned home. The president’s diplomatic team provided critical help to seal a ceasefire deal that brought many hostages out. The deal called for them to be released in small groups, based on their gender, age, and health.
Americans joined with Israelis in celebrating the release of 21 hostages since January 19. However, the terrible physical condition of those recently freed made it clear there is no time to waste in bringing home the rest of them. We have already counted 500 days since the hostages were taken.
With every additional day, the lives of the remaining surviving ones are at terrible risk.
Hostages might be home already if Biden supported Israel as much as Trump
If only the previous US administration had supported Israel since October 7, the war might already be over and the hostages safely home.
Thankfully, times have changed. Whereas former president Joe Biden held Israel back from taking necessary military action to achieve its war aims, Trump is backing Netanyahu’s determination to finish destroying Hamas and to free the hostages.
In fact, the Trump administration has taken many steps to strengthen the Jewish state and the US-Israel alliance in just its first weeks in office.
This includes releasing shipments of armaments to Israel that Biden had frozen, bringing sanctions against the International Criminal Court for its unlawful arrest warrants against Israeli government officials, and reinstating Trump’s “maximum pressure” policy on Iran, the chief state sponsor of Middle East terrorism.
The US president upended conventional thinking about “the day after” for Gaza when he suggested resettling Palestinians in Jordan and Egypt, clearing Gaza’s rubble and unexploded ordnance, and rebuilding it into a prosperous economic area. Just as with the Abraham Accords, Trump is using his willingness to think outside the box, and America’s power and influence to advance important changes that were once thought impossible.
Trump has chosen a terrific team to work on Middle East issues, among them Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Ambassador-designate to Israel Mike Huckabee, and UN Ambassador Elise Stefanik. They will all represent America well and implement the president’s strong pro-Israel policies.
Americans support Israel, and finally, once again, the US government will demonstrate that support with concrete actions, diplomatic and economic strength, and a commitment to the values that the two countries share.
It is our deepest hope that Israel, with America standing by its side, will soon achieve its goals of permanently ending the threat of Hamas and bringing the hostages home. We pray for the safety of the hostages, for the success of the IDF, and for the president and his administration.
Former US senator Norm Coleman of Minnesota is the national chairman of the Republican Jewish Coalition. Matt Brooks is the RJC’s CEO.