I'm expressing no opinion on the present Commander in Chief, or on the National Conservative ideology he and his VP adhere to, but sharing this for informational purpose only. (Scroll down.)
Trump administration 2.0 demands new rules of engagement
The support Hamas received after October 7 necessitates making it clear that a Palestinian state will not be established alongside Israel. We must engage President Trump in creative solutions, such as the 'Emirates Plan.'
Theinaugurationof President Trump opens the door to a historic shift in the strategic alliance between Israel and the US, fortifying Israel's national security and reshaping the Middle East.
To realize this potential, old paradigms must be abandoned. Israel must present groundbreaking ideas and initiatives. During my tenure as a minister, ambassador to the US, and envoy to the UN, I witnessed how the differing approaches of the Trump and Biden administrations impacted Israel's security.
Trump's willingness to break with convention led to transformative achievements, including the US Embassy's relocation to Jerusalem, recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and the Abraham Accords. From Israel's perspective, Trump's "dream team" and his freedom from past constraints represent a historic opportunity that Israel must not squander.
Gilad Erdan in his role as Israel's ambassador to the UN. Photo: Shahar Azran
However, we must also account for Trump's deal-making mindset and his "America First" worldview. Any proposal presented to him will be evaluated through the lens of US interests.
An urgent strategic shift
First and foremost, we need an urgent shift in strategy toward the "head of the octopus"—Iran. Trump is expected to reinstate his "maximum pressure" campaign, but this time, economic pressure must be accompanied by a credible military threat from both the US and Israel, with the clear objective of overthrowing Tehran's regime of tyranny.
Only regime change in Tehran will achieve Trump's goals: ending regional wars, reducing US forces in the Middle East to redirect them to the Indo-Pacific, and expanding the Abraham Accords.
Regarding Gaza, Israel has decided to dismantle Hamas's military and governing power but has yet to adopt a strategy to achieve this goal. Allowing Hamas to remain in power means another war is inevitable. We must adopt a new strategy, coordinated with the new US administration, which includes halting the transfer of food and fuel to Hamas, reoccupying and holding the territory until it is fully cleared, and possibly imposing Israeli military governance in Gaza temporarily until Hamas's rule is dismantled.
The images of Gazans celebrating alongside Hamas murderers the release of terrorists highlight the need for a de-radicalization process, which can only occur after Hamas is crushed.
We now have a historic opportunity to replace the failed Oslo paradigm with new solutions for the future of Judea and Samaria, that do not include the disastrous notion of a Palestinian state. Hamas's support after October 7, even in Judea and Samaria, compels us to clarify to the world that a Palestinian terror state cannot coexist with Israel. We must enlist President Trump in creative new solutions, such as the "Emirates Plan."
It is worth noting that Trump has recentlysoughtcontrol over Greenland, owned by Denmark, due to its importance to US national security. Similarly, the importance of Judea and Samaria to Israel's security, as well as our moral and historical right to sovereignty over this land, is exponentially greater. Trump's return to the White House allows us to address not only the physical threats to Israel but also the attacks on its legitimacy and international standing.
Cutting UN funding
The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague poses a threat to US soldiers and officials, just as it does to Israelis. The UN, which annually receives $19 billion in generous US funding, frequently promotes an agenda that is not only anti-Israel but also anti-American. As the leader who previously cut funding to UNRWA and withdrew the US from the biased Human Rights Council, Trump is uniquely positioned to cut US funding to the UN entirely, creating unprecedented pressure for reform in this corrupt institution.
We must work with Washington to drive significant change internationally by imposing sanctions on the ICC and promoting legislation that targets the BDS movement. Such legislation should deny US funding to universities that permit expressions of support for terrorist organizations and violent protests against Israel and Jewish students.
If we take courageous, unconventional steps with the Trump administration in the coming year and align ourselves with vital American interests, 2025 could mark a turning point in securing Israel's long-term safety. It depends on us and the initiatives we present to the president.
Gilad Erdan has served as Israel's ambassador to the US and the UN, as a minister, and as a Knesset member. He currently heads the Misgav Institute for National Security & Zionist Strategy.
Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari, the first returning hostages of the ceasefire-hostage return deal signed between Israel and Hamas last week,came back home on Sunday! It did not happen thanks to the Israeli government, but thanks to pressure from a foreign leader on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Whether we like Donald Trump or not – he is bringing our hostages back, much to the dismay and wrath of Netanyahu.
On the week in which Itamar Ben-Gvir, former National Security Minister, proudly admitted he managed to pressure Netanyahu throughout the past year to demolish all hostage return deals for political reasons – it was Trump who chose the sane, the obvious, the humane, and also the strategic path – to end this damned war.
It may be difficult to see a foreign leader pressure our government, threaten it, and force it to act in ways it would not have taken without these threats. But what if the government is acting against the security of its citizens? Against the good of the country? Out of narrow and selfish political motives? What if the very pressure from outside saves the hostages and the State of Israel from its prime minister? The Biden Administration was more invested than any other government in freeing the hostages. It devised the current plan, which is being implemented months too late. But Biden works through conventional diplomacy, through traditional assumptions of persuasion and pressure on an ally. These methods do not work on Netanyahu, the master of manipulation.
A view of pictures of hostages who were kidnapped during the deadly Oct. 7 massacre (Reuters/Florion Goga)
Trump's foreign policy is based on two principles, which sometimes seem contradictory. On the one hand, Trump is a businessman and he thinks of international relations in terms of transactions. On the other hand, Trump believes in what is called in professional terms "madman foreign policy": achievements come when the other side is threatened – publicly and bluntly. Madman foreign policy does not work in many cases, even in most cases. But it may work with certain leaders. With leaders who think only of personal gains and not of national interests. With leaders who do not seek good policies that benefit their citizens but only aim to please their coalition partners. In short: against Netanyahu.
The families of the hostages, and I among them, thank Trump for his pressure to bring our loved ones home. We ask him now: Please do not let up on this pressure until the last of the hostages have returned – the living to their families and the dead to their burial. Do not allow the Netanyahu-Smotrich government to exploit any delay or change in the lists to thwart the deal and restart the war. Press hard and use threats if necessary, especially when Netanyahu tries not to proceed to the second phase: "You signed the deal. Now you will execute it. And if not – you have a deal with the president of the United States."
Netanyahu with Trump and Biden. Photo: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO, GettyImages, Reuters.
And one last piece of advice for Trump: You do not need to be tied to the current deal; Biden's deal. It is better than nothing, but it is a deal that will take much longer than necessary – because of Netanyahu's refusal to end the war and return the IDF forces to Israel's borders. While this deal is being implemented, you can improve it by speeding up the end of the war and the IDF withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. There is no reason why all the hostages should not be home sooner. A large majority of Israelis, as well as the country's security apparatus, would support such a move. And Netanyahu? Dare him to oppose it.
Watching the three young, brave women returning to their families on Sunday took me back to the emotional turmoil of the first hostage deal in November 2023. Seeing Liat Atzili, the wife of my beloved cousin Aviv, in the Red Cross jeep on her way to freedom. Learning the next day that Aviv will never return alive… All the hostages must come back home in this current deal. All to the last one. Even if it requires foreign pressure. Even if it requires Trump's intervention.
Boaz Atzili is a professor of international relations and security studies at American University in Washington, DC He is the cousin of Aviv Atzili, who was killed in Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7, and whose body was taken to Gaza.
