The Relationship Between The United States and Israel

President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel by relocating the U.S. embassy from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem has drawn harsh criticism from the left and wide-praise from the right and, of course, Israel itself. The president continues to show that he is willing to do whatever it takes to protect the only real democracy in the Middle East.Israeli media is reporting that a secret far-reaching deal between the Trump administration and Israel to tackle the “Iranian threat” was successfully negotiated between the two parties on December 12, 2017. Reports of the agreement come on the heels of President Trump’s decision to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and the defense of Christians and high-praise of the president by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Joint-Teams & Agreement

The previous administration consistently undermined Israel, its sovereignty on the world stage, and its tactical options against Iran.President Trump is not only reversing all of the previous administration’s underhandedness against Israel, but he is actively solidifying the allyship of both countries for years to come. The Jerusalem Post reports: The document marks the beginning of a new cooperative effort against Iran, a senior U.S. official told The Jerusalem Post.The agreement allows for several joint-teams to be formed to tackle different aspects of the Iranian threat to Israel and its allies in the Middle East, according to reporting by Israeli TV Channel 10 News. The Times of Israel described how the events unfolded: At what the TV report described as a “secret” meeting at the White House, the U.S. and Israel formulated and signed a joint agreement on strategy and policy regarding Iran. Specifically, they agreed to set up joint teams to handle various aspects of the Iranian threat.

According to the information released, the United States and Israel have formed four teams to combat different facets of the growing regional threat. All of the teams are joint efforts between the U.S. and Israel.The report goes on to describe the four joint-teams that were formed by the White House and Israel and the responsibilities given to each one. The Times of Israel explains: One such joint team, the report said, will deal with Iranian activity in Syria and Tehran’s support for the Hezbollah terror organization.Another joint team will deal with both diplomatic and intelligence activities designed to grapple with Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions.A third joint team, it was reportedly agreed, would grapple with Iran’s ballistic missile program and its efforts to build accurate missile systems in Syria and Lebanon.

Finally, a fourth team would oversee preparation for any escalation by Iran and/or Hezbollah.Senior Israeli officials confirmed the agreement to Israel’s Channel 10 News reporter Barak Ravid: [T]he U.S. and Israel see eye to eye the different developments in the region and especially those that are connected to Iran. We reached at understandings regarding the strategy and the policy needed to counter Iran. Our understandings deal with the overall strategy but also with concrete goals, way of action and the means which need to be used to get obtain those goals.The end-goal of this agreement is still unclear. However, it would seem that the denuclearization of Iran is the top-priority for Israel and the United States. The report seems to hint that “steps on the ground” will be the inevitable result of this negotiations.Pro-Israel AdministrationDespite its pro-Israel rhetoric, the Obama administration consistently undermined Israel at every turn in the United Nations and against Iran.

During the final year of the previous administration, the United States abstained from voting or vetoing an anti-settlement resolution brought by the U.N. against Israel.Such a decision marks the first time since Israel’s modern inception as a country that the United States has not vetoed anti-Israel U.N. resolutions. President Trump’s administration, on the other hand, is reaffirming the supportive relationship between the United States and its ally Israel.President Trump and the United States ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley are adding action to rhetoric as they continue to hold a hard-line stance against Iran. President Trump decertified the Iran deal and has expressed interest in potentially scrapping it all together if Iran does not cooperate. Trump is uniting Saudi Arabia, Israel and possibly other Middle Eastern countries against Iran. The president has also backed the Iranian people in their protest against the corrupt and theocratic Iranian government.In short, President Trump is composing a foreign policy that will likely reshape the whole Middle East and potentially a safer one at that. One thing seems certain: Israel can count on this White House if the need arises.