Donald Trump does not want to have to manage the war in the Gaza Strip. The new American president has made this known several times to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in recent months. “ I encouraged him to finish it. We have to end this quickly. Win, get the victory and be done with it. This must stop, the killings must stop “, declared the Republican in mid-August.
A few weeks later, according to the Times of Israel newspaper, he asked for the matter to be resolved “ before his return to power if he wins the elections “. So before January 2025. Argument put forward: the war harms Israel's international image.
But while President Joe Biden threatened a reduction in American military aid to weigh on Israeli policy, Donald Trump has already assured that he would leave it to the Israelis to manage the war as they see fit. .
“We expect him to be tougher on Iran”
« From the beginning, Kamala Harris has worked to tie Israel's hands behind its back, demanding an immediate ceasefire, always demanding a ceasefire “, he declared in August. That ” would only give Hamas time to regroup and launch another October 7-style attack “. Donald Trump then assured that he would give Israel “ the support he needs to win ».
The Health Ministry of the Hamas government in Gaza announced on Tuesday a new death toll of 43,391 in the Palestinian territory since the start of the war with Israel more than a year ago. A terrible toll to which must be added the 102,347 people injured in the Gaza Strip since the unprecedented attack by Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023.
The election of Donald Trump is also bad news for Iran, enemy of the new American president. During the presidential campaign, American intelligence services even considered that Tehran had ordered his assassination in response to the death of an Iranian general in 2020. For Yonatan Freeman, expert in international relations from Hebrew University, “ given what he has said and done before, he is expected to be tougher on Iran ».
The new president may also want to resolve the issue of Iran's nuclear program and encourage Israel to carry out targeted strikes. In October, after the missile attack, Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly sought advice from Donald Trump. “ He asked me what I thought about it. And I just told him: do what you have to do “, he says.
Support for colonization?
Finally, “ Mr. Trump’s victory strengthens Mr. Netanyahu “, says Mairav Zonszein, Israel specialist for the International Crisis Group (ICG), explaining that the two leaders share political manners “ similar “. She also notes that “ the far right and the settler right » welcome this result, already imagining the return of an American policy in favor of the West Bank colonies.
After his election in 2016, President Trump increased his gestures in favor of Israel, including the transfer of the American embassy to Jerusalem. He also affirmed that he did not consider the settlements in the West Bank – occupied by Israel – to be illegal, contrary to international law. In a recent survey by Israeli TV Channel 12, 66% of respondents wanted Donald Trump to return to the White House.
