Trump’s victory is a tremendous opportunity for Israel to immediately announce its intention to renege on the idea of establishing Palestine in the heart of the country — Rightwing Jewish leader Naftali Bennett
Rightwing Jewish leader Naftali Bennett, Israel’s education minister and head of the Jewish Home party, saw unequivocal meaning in the Trump victory:
Trump’s victory is a tremendous opportunity for Israel to immediately announce its intention to renege on the idea of establishing Palestine in the heart of the country – a direct blow to our security and the justice of our cause.
This is the president-elect’s outlook as it appears in his platform, and that definitely should be our way. Salient, simple and clear. The era of the Palestinian state is over.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu published big hopeful hugs statement:
“I congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the 45th President of the United States of America.
President-elect Trump is a true friend of the State of Israel, and I look forward to working with him to advance security, stability and peace in our region.
The ironclad bond between the United States and Israel is rooted in shared values, buttressed by shared interests and driven by a shared destiny.
I am confident that President-elect Trump and I will continue to strengthen the unique alliance between our two countries and bring it to ever greater heights.”
Yaacov Friedman, editor of the Jerusalem Post, reports:
Spoke to David Friedman, @realDonaldTrump’s Israel adviser. Says US-Israel relationship will completely change. Will be better than ever.
Friedman said that @realDonaldTrump plans to keep promise to move US embassy to #Jerusalem. Hostility b/w DC-Jerusalem will also end.
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat also said he is confident this means that the U.S. will move its embassy to Jerusalem.
Yehuda Glick, a leader of the Jewish zealots who want to colonize one of the holy sites of Islam in Jerusalem, can’t wait for Trump to come to Jerusalem and have a vision:
Glick expressed hope that Trump would “ascend the Temple Mount and lead from the source of light and energy a dialogue of world reconciliation and peace.”
A Hebron settler leader says the era of bad feelings between the U.S. and Israel regarding the colonization of the West Bank is over. Yochai Damari:
I hope that this governmental turnover will also lead to a revolution in the attitude and practical actions of the United States toward the settlement movement in Judea and Samaria…
The difficult days of Obama are over for the settlement movement. If we work correctly, this could be the dawn of a new day for the settlements and for the entire State of Israel.
The view of opposition leader Yitzhak Herzog, as reported by New York Times’ Isabel Kershner:
Ofer Neiman provides a translation of Herzog’s statement:
Warm greetings to the president of the biggest strongest superpower of the world, Donald J. Trump!
The American democracy has voted today to place at its helm an American leader, who has taught the commentators and the skeptics that we are in a new era of change and the replacement of old ruling elites!
You have done the unexpected against all odds, polls and studies and the prophets of the old era.I am convinced that the security and economic alliance with our strong and important ally will continue and be strengthened under your presidency.
Good luck to you, Donald J. Trump.
Ali Abunimah observes at Electronic Intifada that Clinton would have been an “anti-Palestinian extremist” as president, and panderer to her donors, and while no one is sure what Trump will do,
The Israeli counterparts of these vile American racists are celebrating Trump’s victory today.
Jewish Insider quotes several pro-Israel voices saying that President Obama will now do nothing to advance the so-called peace process at the United Nations. For instance centrist-setttler Zionist Yossi Klein Halevi:
“If Obama does go to the UN, it will be a fit of pique that will have no positive consequences. It would be Obama throwing a temper tantrum. If I were Obama waking up to the news today, the last thing on my mind would be the Palestinian issue. Obama is looking at the ruin of Obamacare, at a very shaky Iran deal, and some other of his key initiatives. If he goes to the UN, he will just be compounding his failure on the peace process.”
As for the Iran deal, which Trump has promised to rip up, the conventional wisdom is already forming that Trump will not be able to undo the deal, in its many international dimensions anyway. Aaron David Miller at Jewish Insider:
[A] Trump Administration will adopt a kind of if ‘it ain’t broke don’t try to fix it’ mentality to any relationship that isn’t in need of immediate attention. Relations post Obama are likely to improve as Trump’s hostility to the Iran nuclear deal increases and any pressure on Israel with respect to the Palestinian issue diminishes, Expect Netanyahu to come to the White House before Passover.
Rebecca Vilkomerson of Jewish Voice for Peace issued a statement of solidarity with those who feel threatened by Trump.
Peter Beinart offered a related message at Haaretz, he doesn’t trust America:
As an American, a white one, I’ve always felt safe. I’ve always assumed my country would be stable… I’m not leaving America. It’s my country. I have to fight – every American Jew has to fight – to protect the American Muslims who right now must be terrified beyond belief… I still love America to my core. But I don’t trust it in the same way.
This story was first published on Open Democracy.