Reactions were still rare in the early morning of Wednesday, November 6, when Donald Trump’s victory over Kamala Harris in the American presidential election was becoming inevitable. Hoped for by some, feared by others, the Republican’s return to the White House risks having a decisive impact on the two conflicts tearing the international community apart: the Russian war in Ukraine and the ongoing violence in the Middle East, notably the fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza which lasted more than a year. While China and Russia speculate on the policies of the new Republican president, the United States’ allies are not hiding their concerns, with the notable exceptions of the leaders of Hungary and Israel.

In Israel, Netanyahu applauds

If there’s one leader who’s been eagerly waiting to congratulate Trump on his re-election, it’s Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. To be sure, their relationship during the former president’s first term had deteriorated over time, particularly after Trump felt offended when Netanyahu quickly congratulated Joe Biden after Trump’s defeat in 2020. This time, Netanyahu was quick to congratulate Trump on “the greatest comeback in history,” even before the full election results were known. Her Israel Katz, new Minister of Defenseappointed the day before, was enthusiastic about the prospect of his “historic victory”, seeing it as an opportunity to “defeat the axis of evil led by Iran”.

Before even addressing Iran and its nuclear program, the question of Gaza, also central, must be addressed urgently. During Netanyahu’s trip to the United States in July, Trump reportedly asked him to take a clear position on the issue. The Republican candidate wants the war in the enclave to end before he returns to power in January, according to Israeli media. This statement does not constitute a specific plan but rather constitutes a kind of blank check for the Israeli Prime Minister.

Publicly, he also called on Israel to end the war in the Palestinian territory. He also accused Biden and the Democratic administration of trying to hold Netanyahu back, suggesting Israel would have more freedom to continue its war against Hamas if he returned to power. Trump, however, called on Israel to stop killing people in Gaza, stressing the importance of maintaining its international reputation. When asked during the first presidential debate in June against Biden whether he would support the creation of a Palestinian state, he replied, “I should see.”

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