The United States is famously known as the land of unlimited opportunities. The new Trump administration has entered office experienced, sharp, and strong, potentially making the US a land of boundless opportunities for Israel as well.
It's hard not to be impressed by the atmosphere, appointments, and pro-Israel rhetoric coming from senior members of the administration. Alice Stefanik, the new US ambassador to the UN, made statements this week that seemed almost dreamlike. She expressed her belief in Israel's biblical right to all areas of Judea and Samaria - not a hesitant, partial claim, but a firm and confident assertion. And these remarks weren't made in closed rooms but during her Senate confirmation hearing, openly and emphatically. In that same hearing, she criticized the UN, labeling it an anti-Semitic organization, and completely delegitimized UNRWA, which she referred to as a "terror organization."
Similarly, the new Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who replaces Antony Blinken, is another embodiment of this dream. During his Senate hearing, he expressed strong support for Israel and its operations in Gaza, accused Hamas of using human shields, and added, "There is no way to coexist with armed elements at the borders who are intent on eliminating the state." These are statements that even in post-October 7 Israel have started to falter, as the situation has grown too complex. Across the ocean, however, the picture remains clear - they know who the good and bad are, and simply want the good to know how to win.
But the good falter and hesitate. They do not initiate or propose but merely go with the flow. As of today, Israel under the new administration resembles a child in a candy store told, "Take whatever you want." Yet the question remains - what does it want?
