Eugene Kontorovich tweeted the following:
Here is how Trump can begin to fix the mess Biden-Harris made of the Middle East, and America’s relationship with its strongest ally there. Biden’s policies prolonged the war; reversing them will restore stability…
Here is a list, in no order, of some of concrete ways the Biden-Harris Administration has undermined Israel and encouraged the Iranian Axis, even in the months after Oct. 7th – and how the Trump Administration can swiftly rectify it.
1) Making BDS government policy by creating a sanctions program aimed at Jews living in Judea and Samaria. https://www.wsj.com/articles/gaza-cant-be-peaceful-without-jews-germany-day-after-hamas-e13583f3
2) Preventing Gazans from fleeing conflict to increase pressure on Israel: the Biden Administration supported the Hamas/Egypt policy of keeping Gazans trapped in Gaza, the only people in the world not allowed to flee a conflict. Biden treated Egypt’s border with Gaza like he should have treated America’s with Mexico, and vice versa. Asylum seekers to America in any number, to Egypt in no number. Now Trump can flip the script. https://www.wsj.com/articles/america-helps-make-gaza-an-open-air-prison-palestinians-policy-war-zone-refugees-0e5a9b28
3) Biden’s “Four No’s”: By stressing the Iranian axis can pay no territorial price for its aggression (“no reduction in territory”), Biden gave Hamas and Hezbollah an insurance policy, and set the stage for them to threaten Israel again. Trump can make clear that invading neighboring countries is not guaranteed to be an at least break-even proposition.
4) Cancelling Trump’s sanctions on the ICC, and then refusing to support bipartisan legislation holding ICC officials accountable after the sought to indict Israeli officials for defending the country from Hamas. Trump understands the ICC is simply the international version of the lawfare that has been directed at him. https://www.wsj.com/articles/already-a-travesty-the-icc-eyes-charges-against-israel-c4da144c?st=iof6166bsijbxl2&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
5) Undermining the Pompeo Doctrine, which announced that Jews living in Judea & Samaria is not a war crime. Its schizophrenic to have this legal issue toggle with every administration. Now Congress can enshrine this position into law. https://www.wsj.com/articles/pompeo-busts-the-occupation-myth-11574207220?st=tMS2tJ&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
6) Protecting the @UN even as it justified Oct. 7th, and allowed one of its agencies, @UNRWA, to become a Hamas front, and @UNIFIL_ to be a defensive screen for Hezbollah. Trump can again defund UNRWA, but also end its immunity to lawsuits for supporting terror, and cancel UNIFL, saving American taxpayers hundreds of millions. https://www.wsj.com/articles/pompeo-busts-the-occupation-myth-11574207220?st=tMS2tJ&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
7) Weapons hold-ups, of course. The most important thing Trump can do is help Israel become self-sufficient in production.
8) Diplomatic weakness. More than 4x as many countries recognized a “State of Palestine” in the past year than in the entire first Trump term. Trump can make clear to other governments that rewarding Oct. 7th is not something America will look favorably on. https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/ugly-lessons-of-october-7
All this just gets us back to what should be a baseline – supporting a close ally as it fights for its survival against genocidal Islamist militias and states on many fronts. These policies have prolonged the war.
After this – it will be time to talk about finally resolving the conflict in a way that will bring peace to the region, rather than set the stage for then next pogrom.
What devils