Republican Party Chief in Israel Says Trump Did Not Abandon Israel Over Iran Deal

Mark Zell, chairman of the Republican Party in Israel, responded to widespread criticism in Israel of the US-Iran agreement and argued that President Donald Trump did not “sell out Israel” as many had claimed. Zell said Trump’s support for “the Jewish state and the Jewish people” is unquestionable.

According to Zell, Trump’s main priority is winning the November midterm elections and preventing Democrats from taking control of Congress. He said Trump sees that outcome as crucial because, in his view, Democrats would then try to remove him and block both domestic and foreign policy for the rest of a second term. Zell added that American voters decide “according to their pocket,” are tired of wars, and therefore Trump needs to pause the war with Iran for now while focusing on lowering inflation, reducing energy and food prices, keeping stock markets strong, and stabilizing global markets.

Zell said the memorandum of understanding is only an agreement to hold talks and keep the ceasefire in place for now. He added that Trump “has all the cards” and can decide how much to ease American pressure on Iran and its proxies. He also said Trump removed Israel from the memorandum, which, whether intentional or not, gives Israel freedom to defend its vital security interests in Lebanon, Syria, and even Iran.

While saying he does not like the content of the memorandum or some White House statements defending it, Zell called it “politics in an election year.” He said the Israel-US relationship remains “strong and unbreakable,” that Israel will defend its interests, and that the US will protect the American public, including 750,000 US citizens in Israel. Zell concluded that the only logical explanation is that Trump is managing the crisis through limited operations, maintaining the siege, and continuing economic pressure, because a major war is not in the US interest at this stage.