On a recent visit to the United States, Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein met with Vice President Mike Pence to discuss Israel-US relations, Iran’s malign influence in the Middle East, and growing ties between Israel and Sunni Arab states.
“I met him in the past when I hosted him in the Knesset,” said Edelstein, who spoke at the Israel American Council (IAC) conference. “When I found out that we’d both be speaking at the IAC conference, I asked if we could get together. I quoted him in my speech on Motzaei Shabbos, when I said that, as we speak, the Iranians have less to oil the Hamas and Hezbollah terror machines — and that’s thanks to the Trump administration.”
Edelstein also praised Pence and the Trump administration for changing the regional dynamic. “At one time, the Middle Eastern states would gleefully anticipate our getting into trouble with the US, and the international pressure that inevitably followed. That’s not what we’re seeing today. When they understand that we have unbridled support, it draws the Arab states closer, leading to, for example, the invitation for Prime Minister Netanyahu to visit Oman.”
Floating in the background during Edelstein’s visit was the possibility that the White House would release its peace initiative. The Knesset speaker told Mishpacha he’s not worried about what that plan might contain. “I don’t know if there will be a plan, and if so, when it will be unveiled. But my impression is that the current administration is not obsessed with the settlements. Here’s an example from last week. The Iranian leader said that Israel is a cancerous growth in the Middle East. The White House condemned the statement, and on the same day, the EU condemned the destruction of homes in Silwan. What I’m saying is, unfortunately, there are states and organizations for whom Jewish settlements in Yehudah and Shomron are an obsession, but that cannot be said about the Trump administration. They don’t agree with us about everything, but they’re willing to see things in proportion and to listen to our side.”
(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 738)
