Trump’s freebies to Israel not free
US president is trying to use Israeli right to serve his political interests in exchange
US President Donald Trump is ‘generous’ with the gifts he gives to the Zionist state. Rather, he himself is ‘Santa Claus’ who does not stop giving: starting with the formal transfer of the American embassy to “united” Jerusalem, the recognition of Israel’s sovereignty in the occupied Golan Heights, and considering Jewish colonies in the occupied West Bank as not violating international law.
All this without mentioning Trump’s various financial punishments against Palestinian Authority. Most recently, he opposed the decision of the International Criminal Court to investigate Israeli war crimes in Palestine. Perhaps the gifts will not end with the recognition of the sovereignty of Israel over the Jordan Valley, which is what the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demands as a lifeline to him (given the political dilemma he is experiencing today).
Does Trump really mean to be controversial in his strange and “bold” statements? Or does he lack the political shrewdness as many experts and analysts believe? Views vary here; some believe that what Trump is doing is for America, some say he advances Israel’s cause; while others think he is driven by his narcissist nature and political ambitions.
Despite the full US support of Israel, historically Republican and Democratic administrations have refrained from recognising the Israeli unilateral actions in East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights and the legality of the Jewish colonies. However, Trump believes the Palestinians “do not qualify for an independent state but an Arab ethnic group that maybe deserves an enhanced self-rule”!!!
Does Trump really mean to be controversial in his strange and “bold” statements? Or does he lack the political shrewdness as many experts and analysts believe? Views vary here; some believe that what Trump is doing is for America, some say he advances Israel’s cause; while others think he is driven by his narcissist nature and political ambitions.
It is a well-known fact that Trump’s attempt to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict are helmed by his son-in-law and his senior adviser, Jared Kushner, his former special Middle East Envoy, Jason Greenblatt and the US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman.
Right wing supporters
All three men are supporters of the Israeli extreme right wing and its views. In fact they are part of it. They are either organically linked to the Jewish colonisers or blindly support their programmes. American experts and analysts tend to believe that this trio along with the new Middle East envoy, Avi Berkowitz lack experience and are not fit to resolve a complicated problem such as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
All of Trump’s gifts to Israel — in the eyes of experts, including Israelis — are gifts for ‘collection’. It was clear that they were all meant for his various electoral bases. What really occupies Trump’s mind now is the 2020 US presidential elections, where he will need the support of certain powers, led by conservative evangelicals, who are totally biased when it comes to Israel.
In other words, his strange and ‘bold’ statements and stances are an attempt to employ the Israel right to serve his electoral interests in exchange for his aforementioned gifts. Also, we can see how Trump seeks to please Sheldon Adelson, one of the largest Republican donors, and the owner of the largest “charity” that supports Israel. In his bid for a second term Trump is seeking to please the Jewish and Zionists lobby and eyeing their money and influence.
All along Trump has constantly repeated some phrases: “I am the King of Israel”, “I love Israel”, “We must work to make the American people love Israel more”, “Relations between Israel and the United States today are stronger than ever,” “Israel has had no better friend in the White House than (me),” and “the United States supports Israel’s absolute right to self-defence.”
Lack of loyalty
He even went on to say: “American Jews who vote for the Democratic Party show either their complete lack of knowledge, or a severe lack of loyalty.” The last statement sparked sharp criticism among some Jewish circles. In this context, the Jewish Democratic Council of America said that the President was trying to “politicise anti-Semitism and use it as a weapon for political gain.”
Recently, Trump revealed the truth when he made it clear that his support for Israel and the Jews was to invest their vote in the next elections in 2020, declaring “the Jews must elect me to protect their wealth”, which again sparked a wave of counter reactions. The executive director of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, Halie Soifer noted: “The Council strongly condemns statements that the President has used -again -to represent stereotypes of the characterisation of Jews, that they are motivated by money with hints about loyalty.”
More than one Israeli source confirms that Trump’s “gifts” are poisoned, it is true not with the intention of “harming Israel”, but rather in the end for “paying a price”. The Israeli writer Orit Levi Nesiel says: “On the surface, Trump is a true friend of Israel, an enthusiastic supporter and a loving Zionist. But this is a false (incomplete) image.
Trump is a pragmatic businessman. The political timing of his statements is not spontaneous, and the gifts he bestows on Israel in order to help Netanyahu are not free gifts. The Israeli society will have to pay the price sooner or later.” So, does such a conclusion lead to the essence of the ‘Trump first’ aim and plan?
— Professor As’ad Abdul Rahman is the chairman of Palestinian Encyclopaedia.