‘History’s greatest comeback!’ Netanyahu and Trump speak after PM swift to fete win
Israeli premier first world leader to hail former president’s return to office; ‘warm and cordial’ phone conversation includes discussion of Iranian threat
As the results of the 2024 United States presidential election indicated on Wednesday morning that former president Donald Trump had defeated Vice President Kamala Harris, Israeli leaders and politicians began congratulating the Republican on a decisive victory.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was the first world leader to congratulate Trump, even before news outlets began to call the election in his favor.
“Congratulations on history’s greatest comeback!” he said in an English-language statement written in Trump’s trademark over-the-top style.
“Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America. This is a huge victory!”
“In true friendship,” Netanyahu signed off.
Later Wednesday, Trump and Netanyahu spoke on the phone in a 20-minute conversation that the Prime Minister’s Office described as “warm and cordial.”
“The prime minister congratulated Trump on his election victory, and the two agreed to work together for Israel’s security, ” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement. “The two also discussed the Iranian threat.”
The outcome of the election is a relief for Netanyahu’s coalition, which has clashed with President Joe Biden‘s Democratic administration over the war in Gaza and Lebanon, which began on October 7 of last year with the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel.
The Biden administration has been vocally critical of Israel’s handing of the war, decrying the vast scale of humanitarian suffering in Gaza and Netanyahu’s propensity for escalation over resolution, often directly contradicting the US president’s wishes.
Netanyahu and Trump enjoyed a very warm relationship from 2017 to 2021, when the former president moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal, recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights and oversaw the Abraham Accords.
But their ties soured after Netanyahu recognized Biden’s victory over Trump in the 2020 presidential election. Trump went on to describe the Israeli premier as an obstacle to peace with the Palestinians.
The two have apparently patched up their differences in recent months, with Trump hosting Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago resort in July, and the two speaking on the phone several times since then.
As the war in Gaza entered its second year, Trump has been outspoken about his desire to end it, saying multiple times that too many people have been killed and that Israel should end the war “fast.”
Last month, Israeli officials expressed concern to The Times of Israel over Trump’s repeated call for Israel to quickly end the war, fearing an inability to do so will lead to a clash if the former president returns to office in January.
Echoing this sentiment in his victory speech on Tuesday night, Trump declared, “I’m not going to start wars, I’m going to stop wars.”
After it seemed clear that Trump had won the election, Israel’s President Isaac Herzog congratulated him on a “historic return to the White House,” calling him “a true and dear friend of Israel, and a champion of peace and cooperation in our region.”
“I look forward to working with you to strengthen the ironclad bond between our peoples, to build a future of peace and security for the Middle East, and to uphold our shared values,” Herzog tweeted. “On behalf of the Jewish and democratic State of Israel, and all our people, I wish you much success.”
Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich tweeted: “God bless Israel, God bless America.”
“Yesssss, God bless Trump,” said far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir in a post on on X.
New Hope chairman Gideon Sa’ar, the incoming foreign minister, congratulated Trump “on a truly historic victory.”
“As a true friend of Israel with a proven commitment to Israel’s security, we welcome your strong and dedicated leadership as we work to build a better future of security and cooperation for the Middle East,” Sa’ar tweeted.
Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who is replacing the fired Yoav Gallant as defense minister, also congratulated Trump. “Together, we’ll strengthen the US-Israel alliance, bring back the hostages, and stand firm to defeat the axis of evil led by Iran,” wrote Katz, posting a photo of him with the former US president.
Across the aisle, National Unity party leader Benny Gantz declared Trump “a true friend of Israel” in an English-language tweet, stating that this has been “demonstrated through not only his words but actions.”
“Throughout his former tenure, he brokered the Abraham Accords, officially recognized the Golan Heights as part of Israel, and moved the US Embassy to Jerusalem,” he wrote.
“Against the backdrop of emboldened Iranian aggression in the region, its race to nuclear capabilities, and the paramount efforts to return the hostages home, President Trump’s leadership will not only ensure the US continues to be a special friend and ally to the State of Israel but a vital beacon of moral clarity to the Middle East and the world. Thank you, and congratulations, Mr. President,” said Gantz, a former war cabinet minister.
Minister for Jerusalem Affairs and Jewish Heritage Meir Porush also congratulated Trump in a statement, citing the verse “the heart of a king is in the hand of God.”
“President Trump proved during his previous term that he is a true friend of the Jewish people and the city of Jerusalem. We all pray and expect that this trend will continue even more strongly in [his] coming term.”
Israel Ganz, settler leader and chairman of the West Bank’s Yesha council, said in a statement to Reuters, “We expect to have an ally standing unconditionally beside us as we fight the battles that are a war on the entire West⍐.”
