Trump-Netanyahu bond helps both
Personal chemistry has potent politics in the mix
WASHINGTON – If President Donald Trump has a true political bromance with any foreign leader, it’s probably Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Sure, Trump said he “fell in love” with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, and he’s clearly smitten with Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro, the “Trump of the Tropics.”
But the bond between Trump and Netanyahu goes far beyond political flattery and good chemistry. It’s also great politics – for both men – as they each face re-election battles.
The two leaders met Monday at the White House, where Trump signed an official proclamation recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a disputed territory the United Nations considers “occupied” by Israel.
“Our relationship is powerful,” Trump declared of U.S.-Israeli ties.
“You’ve always been there, including today,” Netanyahu responded, “and I thank you.”
Monday’s exchange spotlights the mutually beneficial politics of their friendship. Trump enjoys high approval ratings in Israel, and Netanyahu has made his close relationship with the American president a centerpiece of his campaign before Israel’s election April 9. Netanyahu even erected giant billboards showing him shaking hands with Trump and declaring, “Netanyahu, in a different league.”
“Trump is far more popular in Israel than he is in the United States,” said Natan Sachs, director of the Center for Middle East Policy at the Washingtonbased Brookings Institution. He said that’s largely because of Trump’s decision to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, even though both the Palestinians and the Israelis claim that city as their capital.
“The result is that anything that emphasizes Netanyahu’s relationship to the administration ... is a very good political prop for Netanyahu,” Sachs said.
As accusations of corruption dog Netanyahu, his Likud Party faces a stiff challenge in the contest April 9 from the Blue & White bloc, which is led by former military officer Benny Gantz.
Trump’s decision on the Golan Heights, announced last week, gave Netanyahu a major boost weeks before the election. Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in the Six Day War in 1967. Trump’s decision reverses decades of U.S. policy; previous presidents labeled the territory “occupied” and declined to recognize Israel’s annexation.
Trump has not officially endorsed Netanyahu, which would mark a diplomatic breach. But Middle East experts said the president makes his support for Netanyahu clear through his lavish praise and favorable policy decisions.
Trump is “not even pretending to be evenhanded” in the Israel election, said Daniel Byman, a professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and expert on the Middle East. Trump’s Golan Heights decision bolsters Netanyahu’s claim that he’s in a league of his own when it comes to delivering on Israel’s international agenda, he said.
Trump seeks to reap his own political windfall as he gears up for his re-election bid in 2020. He predicted that American Jews, long a loyal Democratic constituency, will flock to the GOP in part because of his pro-Israel policies.
Republicans are “waiting with open arms” for Jewish voters, Trump tweeted this month. “Remember Jerusalem (U.S. Embassy) and the horrible Iran Nuclear Deal!”
Trump has portrayed Democrats as anti-Semitic, highlighting controversial comments by freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who suggested that pro-Israel lobbying groups hold undue sway over American policy because of their campaign contributions and the political muscle of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a powerful U.S. advocacy group.
AIPAC is holding its annual policy conference in Washington this week. Netanyahu was scheduled to address the group Tuesday, but he cut his trip short because of rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip that struck a house in Israel and wounded seven people Monday.