Given the vagaries of international affairs, no one can be entirely sure about what the future of U.S.-Israel relations will look like. It has to be expected that there will be times of less congruency than others.
But there can be no uncertainty about the message that President-elect Trump’s appointments to his Middle East-related team has sent to Israel’s friends and foes alike. They reflect a mindset that he not only intends to continue his decided tilt towards Israel but to also build on the extraordinary and unprecedented achievements his previous administration produced.
Indeed, each of the appointees – Marco Rubio (Secretary of State), Pete Hegseth (Secretary of Defense), Mike Huckabee (Ambassador to Israel), Elise Stefanik (Ambassador to the UN), Steve Witkoff (Special Envoy to the Middle East), Mike Waltz (National Security Adviser), Tulsi Gabbard (Director of National Intelligence) – will bring a record of strong and enthusiastic public support for Israel’s efforts to sustain itself in a dangerous neighborhood, and its strategic importance to, and special relationship with, the United States.
We have long believed that the perception that there is little or no daylight between Israel and the United States is the best deterrent to war in the Middle East. We are encouraged that Mr. Trump seems to share that belief.
