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‘I Can Finally Breathe’: Israel Welcomes Trump’s Election Victory

Republican presidential nominee and former US President Donald Trump appears on a congratulatory billboard for the 2024 US presidential election, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Nov. 6, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Thomas Peter

The news of Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election was met with enthusiasm across much of Israel on Wednesday morning, starting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s effusive congratulations to the president-elect and extending — if polls are to be believed — to an overwhelming majority of the population.

“Congratulations on history’s greatest comeback!” Netanyahu wrote on X/Twitter.

“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!” he added, before signing off, “in true friendship.”

In the run-up to the election, several polls showed that Trump was clearly the favorite for Israelis. The Israel Democracy Institute found that nearly two-thirds of Israelis believe Trump is better for Israel’s interests, compared with only 13 percent who say his election opponent, incumbent US Vice President Kamala Harris, would have made a better fit.

“I just feel like I can finally breathe a sigh of relief,” Elad Bookman, who was up late Tuesday night at an election watch party, told The Algemeiner.

“We know that Trump is good for Israel because we’ve seen him in action,” Bookman went on, citing Trump’s history of pro-Israel policies in his former tenure. These include moving the US embassy to Jerusalem; declaring Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a strategic region on Israel’s northern border previously controlled by Syria; withdrawing from the nuclear deal with Iran, which placed temporary restrictions on the regime’s nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions; and brokering the Abraham Accords, normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab and Muslim countries.

But Helit Barel, a former senior official at Israel’s National Security Council and an expert on US-Israel relations, cautioned that questions remain about how his policies will influence Israel’s regional concerns, saying “the true impact of a Trump presidency versus the current one remains to be seen.”

For Barel, the most pressing foreign policy challenge awaiting Trump is Iran’s proximity to nuclear capability. “Obviously Trump will not want to see Iran crossing that threshold on his watch,” she said, but added that the president-elect may falter in engaging Iran with direct military action, especially because of the economic costs associated with doing so.

“He’s not interested in expensive wars, and he’s quite focused on the economy, which is foremost on the minds of the American public,” Barrel told The Algemeiner.

Alternatively, while Trump had clearly been “antagonistic” toward the Obama administrations -brokered Iran nuclear deal, withdrawing from it in 2018, he may want to negotiate a new agreement, with much stricter terms. “He may take advantage of the fact that Iran appears to be desperate for a deal,” she said.

Barel also cautioned against over-enthusiasm on Netanyahu’s part, pointing to a checkered history between the two leaders, which includes Trump’s anger over Netanyahu’s decision not to participate in the strike on Iranian General Qasem Soleimani and ire at the Israeli leader’s perceived betrayal in congratulating incumbent US President Joe Biden after the 2020 election. She also noted more recent criticisms of the Israeli premier’s wartime leadership in Gaza.

“We’ll find out if he’s truly moved past the grievances he had with Netanyahu,” she said.

But according to Attila Somfalvi, a political commentator and journalist with Ynet, the election result translated into a “happy day” for Netanyahu.

“Netanyahu woke up to a better prospect for the future,” Somfalvi said. “From a political standpoint, it’s important to remember that Netanyahu and Trump are on good terms, and so are their respective circles.”

According to Somfalvi, the two leaders had spoken on the phone several times in recent months, discussing matters regarding Iran.

“Trump reportedly told Netanyahu, ‘Do what you need to do.’ So it’s very possible he gave a green light here, with the idea of resolving the Iranian issue by Jan. 20,” Somfalvi said, referring to the date when Trump will officially return to the White House.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday also congratulated Trump’s “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,” he wrote on X.

Gideon Sa’ar, the incoming foreign minister set to take over from Israel Katz, 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 wrote on X.

In a move that rocked Israel, Netanyahu on Tuesday night fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing a “lack of trust.”

Katz, who is replacing Gallant, posted a photo of himself along with Trump, writing, “Together, we’ll strengthen the US-Israel alliance, bring back the hostages [seized by Hamas during its rampage across southern Israel last Oct. 7], and stand firm to defeat the axis of evil led by Iran.”

The post ‘I Can Finally Breathe’: Israel Welcomes Trump’s Election Victory first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Jewish Organizations Congratulate Trump on Presidential Election Win

Republican presidential nominee and former US President Donald Trump points to his ear as he speaks at the Economic Club of New York in New York City, Sept. 5, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Prominent Jewish organizations were quick to issue statements on Wednesday congratulating Donald Trump for his victory in the US presidential election the previous night, promising to work with the president-elect on supporting Israel and combating antisemitism when he officially returns to the White house in January.

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), an organization that fights antisemitism and discrimination more broadly, said the ADL looked forward to working with the incoming administration and all elected US officials “in pursuit of our 111-year-old mission — to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and secure justice and fair treatment to all.”

“We remain steadfastly committed to that timeless mission as we fight the torrent of antisemitism sweeping our society along with all forms of hate and extremism — offline and online, on campuses and in schools, in the US and around the world,” Greenblatt added in a statement congratulating Trump and his running mate, JD Vance.

The American Jewish Committee (AJC) also congratulated Trump, with CEO Ted Deutch saying his organization looks forward to working with President-elect Trump and his administration on the domestic and foreign policy concerns that are AJC’s advocacy priorities.”

Noting Iran’s ongoing war against Israel, primarily through its terrorist proxies Hamas and Hezbollah, Deutch said strong US leadership is needed to bring about peace and stability.

“The conflicts we are currently seeing around the world reflect a dangerous collusion among anti-democratic regimes and non-state actors. The US must exert clear global leadership and be a stabilizing power as the world contends with these many threats,” he said.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the foremost pro-Israel lobbying group in the US, said that it would eagerly “work with the new administration and Congress” to help defend Israel against Iran and its proxies.

“We look forward to working together with the new administration and Republicans and Democrats in Congress to strengthen and expand the US-Israel relationship,” AIPAC wrote. “Despite the current profound political polarization, there remains a resolute bipartisan commitment to the US-Israel alliance. The US-Israel relationship is a mutually beneficial alliance based on shared values and interests.”

The Jewish Federations of North America congratulated Trump and Vance on their victory.

“Jewish Federations will always work tirelessly to ensure that our Jewish communities flourish. At this challenging moment in our history, we look forward to working with the new administration and Congress to promote our values, fight antisemitism, secure our community, and maintain steadfast support for Israel,” the organization said in a statement. “After a divisive election, we are working to unite our community at our Stand Together event in Washington, DC this Sunday, and set the Jewish communal agenda for the coming year at our General Assembly immediately after.”

The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations wished Trump and Vance “the best as the transition process begins and the two prepare to assume office on Jan. 20, 2025. We trust that the new administration will work diligently to combat antisemitism and advance the bilateral US-Israel relationship by building on accomplishments from President Trump’s first term including the historic Abraham Accords.”

Harriet Schleifer and William Daroff, chair and CEO respectively of the umbrella group, also congratulated Trump’s election opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, “on a hard fought and spirited campaign and we wish her the very best.”

The leadership of the Orthodox Union, the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, said in a statement that, “with campaigning now over, we look forward to working with all Americans to mend the divisions in our society and bring the country together to overcome the current challenges we face.”

The organization congratulated all candidates who were elected to the Congress and said it “looks forward to working with President-elect Trump and his incoming administration on matters of critical importance to our community, including effectively combating the surge of antisemitism in America, further strengthening the US-Israel relationship, and defeating Hamas and Hezbollah, thwarting Iran’s malign activities, expanding educational opportunity and choice for all American children, and defending America’s ‘first freedom’ of religious liberty.”

Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld, president of the Coalition for Jewish Values, which represents more than 2,500 Orthodox rabbis, also congratulated Trump.

“We applaud the efforts of both candidates to reach out to our community, and note that Mr. Trump garnered record Jewish support, not only from Orthodox Jews, who supported him by an overwhelming margin, but from most voters who, when surveyed, placed concern for Israel and rising antisemitism in the US high on their list of priorities,” Schonfeld said. “We hope that Mr. Trump will further his previous steps to fight antisemitism on campus and in American society, and continue his visionary efforts to bring peace to the Middle East.”

The Union for Reform Judaism also released a statement on Trump’s victory.

“We hope and pray that he will be a president for all Americans, advancing the principles of democracy, justice, and commitment to rule of law that have been sources of strength for our nation throughout its history,” the organization said in a statement.

“We stand ready to join with the new administration and Congress on any efforts to protect ‘the orphan, the widow, and the stranger,’” the union added. “We will be allies to any serious effort to combat antisemitism. We will champion a strong US-Israel relationship that fosters democracy and security for the Jewish state while upholding the rights and well-being of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the West Bank.”

The organization also criticized Trump for some of his policies and rhetoric.

The post Jewish Organizations Congratulate Trump on Presidential Election Win first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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‘Time to Begin Wreaking Havoc’: MIT Student Calls for Violence to Oppose Israel, ‘Escalate for Palestine’

A pro-Hamas encampment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US, May 6, 2024. Photo: Brian Snyder via Reuters Connect

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has reportedly banished from campus a student who penned an article which argued that violence was a legitimate method of effecting political change to fight Israel and support “Palestine.”

First reported on Tuesday by the MIT Coalition Against Apartheid (CAA), an anti-Israel group associated with National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP), the school’s decision — as of yet unconfirmed by MIT officials — stands to reverse an impression that MIT lacks the resolve to punish students who use the campus to break university rules while holding raucous demonstrations against the world’s lone Jewish state.

Titled “On Pacifism,” the article — published in the MIT student publication Written Revolution and flanked by images of members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), an internationally designated terrorist group — argued that activists have failed to stop Israel’s war against Hamas and sunder the US-Israel relationship because of “our own decision to embrace nonviolence as our primary vehicle of change.”

The author, PhD candidate Prahlad Iyengar, continued, “One year into a horrific genocide, it is time for the movement to begin wreaking havoc, or else, as we’ve seen, business will indeed go on as usual … As people of conscience in the world, we have a duty to Palestine and to all the globally oppressed. We have a mandate to exact a cost from the institutions that have contributed to the growth and proliferation of colonialism, racism, and all oppressive systems. We have a duty to escalate for Palestine, and as I hope I’ve argued, the traditional pacifist strategies aren’t working because they are ‘designed into’ the system we fight against.”

In a statement distributed by the CAA, Iyengar accused MIT of weaponizing the disciplinary system to persecute him.

“On Friday, MIT administration informed me that as a result of this article, I have been banned from campus without due process and that I face potential expulsion or suspension,” he said. “These extraordinary actions should concern everyone on campus. My article attempts a historical review of the type of tactics used by protest movements throughout history, from the civil rights movement to the struggle to the fight [sic] against South African Apartheid here on MIT campus.”

MIT has not responded to The Algemeiner‘s inquiry regarding Iyengar’s punishment, but according to excerpts of its letter to Iyengar, the administration told him the article “makes several troubling statements” and could be perceived as “a call for more violent or destructive forms of protest at MIT.” In retaliation, CAA is calling on students to harass David Randall, an associate dean, until he relents and revokes Iyengar’s punishment and Written Revolution‘s temporary suspension.

“On Pacifism” is not the first time that elite college students have endorsed violence in the name of opposing Israel and furthering the Palestinian cause.

In September, during Columbia University’s convocation ceremony, Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), a group which recently split due to racial tensions between Arabs and non-Arabs, distributed literature calling on students to join the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas’s movement to destroy Israel.

“This booklet is part of a coordinated and intentional effort to uphold the principles of the thawabit and the Palestinian resistance movement overall by transmitting the words of the resistance directly,” said the pamphlet distributed by CUAD, a Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) spinoff, to incoming freshmen. “This material aims to build popular support for the Palestinian war of national liberation, a war which is waged through armed struggle.”

Other sections of the pamphlet were explicitly Islamist, invoking the name of “Allah, the most gracious” and referring to Hamas as the “Islamic Resistance Movement.” Proclaiming, “Glory to Gaza that gave hope to the oppressed, that humiliated the ‘invincible’ Zionist army,” it said its purpose was to build an army of Muslims worldwide.

Last month, on the first anniversary of Hamas’s Oct. 7, massacre across southern Israel, when Jews around the world mourned the victims of the brutal onslaught, a Harvard University student group called on pro-Hamas activists to “Bring the war home” and proceeded to vandalize an a campus administrative building. The group members, who described themselves as “anonymous,” later said in a statement, “We are committed to bringing the war home and answering the call to open up a new front here in the belly of the beast.” On the same day, the Harvard Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC) issued a similar statement, saying “now is the time to escalate,” adding, “Harvard’s insistence on funding slaughter only strengthens our moral imperative and commitment to our demands.”

Pro-Hamas activists in academia have already demonstrated that they are willing to hurt people to make their point.

Last year, in California, an elderly Jewish man was killed when an anti-Zionist professor employed by a local community college allegedly pushed him during an argument. At Cornell University in upstate New York, a student threatened to rape and kill Jewish female students and “shoot up” the campus’ Hillel center. Violence, according to a report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), was most common at universities in the state of California, where anti-Zionist activists punched a Jewish student for filming him at a protest.

“The antisemitic, anti-Zionist vitriol we’ve witnessed on campus is unlike anything we’ve seen in the past,” ADL chief executive officer Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement in September. “Since the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack on Israel, the anti-Israel movement’s relentless harassment, vandalism, intimidation and violent physical assaults go way beyond the peaceful voicing of a political opinion. Administrators and faculty need to do much better this year to ensure a safe and truly inclusive environment for all students, regardless of religion, nationality, or political views, and they need to start now.”

Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.

The post ‘Time to Begin Wreaking Havoc’: MIT Student Calls for Violence to Oppose Israel, ‘Escalate for Palestine’ first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Quebec government denies motion supporting UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese’s comments on Gaza

Quebec’s National Assembly has rejected a call to debate a motion in solidarity with Gaza brought by Québec Solidaire (QS) MNA Ruba Ghazal. In her motion, Ghazal—who was born in […]

The post Quebec government denies motion supporting UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese’s comments on Gaza appeared first on The Canadian Jewish News.

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