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| Photo: Avi Ohayon - GPO |
Trump-Netanyahu Meeting -
A Historic Turning Point?
July, 2025
The Key Message
The remarkable military operational accomplishments against Iran have created an opportunity for strategic breakthroughs on regional issues, perhaps as soon as during Prime Minister Netanyahu’s upcoming meeting with President Trump. Such a success could improve Israel’s geostrategic standing; however, failing to do so could exacerbate its distress.
Following are policy recommendations in ten core areas harboring fateful potential for Israel’s future and character.
Recommendations
- The window of opportunity for the return of all hostages is rapidly closing. IDF Chief of General Staff Zamir has been quoted as saying that the hostages are enduring exacerbating torture, and their condition is deteriorating. Moreover, Prime Minister Netanyahu has unprecedentedly stated that the hostages are a top priority. It is clearly unfeasible for Israel to rescue all hostages by military means. Therefore, it must promote a political framework for the release of all hostages in a single deal and ending the war as a key for a regional agreement under U.S. auspices.
- The United States is a pillar of Israeli national security. Israel must therefore seek to deepen strategic, security-related, and military coordination between the two, while fostering President Trump’s plan for the promotion of historic regional agreements between Israel and the Arab states.
- On the security-military level, and in view of its concern that barriers be broken following the largescale military deals that the United States has signed with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which include the sale of top advanced U.S. weapon systems, Israel must ensure the U.S. administration’s commitment to maintaining IDF’s qualitative military edge (QME) in compliance with the strategic alliance and U.S. law. Special attention should be paid to voices heard in Washington calling for providing Turkey with advanced F-35 fighter jets that could challenge the Israeli Air Force’s QME.
- Following Operation Rising Lion, Iran may actually try to accelerate its plans to obtain nuclear weapons. Israel must prevent it from doing so at all costs. The unique collaborations with the United States must therefore be deepened in all relevant areas to thwart the intentions of the Islamic Republic’s regime.
- A clear and agreed goal is to end Hamas rule in Gaza. To do so, extensive cooperation with the Arab states, United States, and Europe is required. The foundation must be laid for creating an alternative power to Hamas with the Palestinians’ involvement as a precondition to the Arab states’ integration into the rehabilitation processes estimated at dozens of millions of Dollars. At the same time, Israel must beware of getting dragged into imposing military rule in the Gaza Strip, as well as engaging in a prolonged war of attrition, both of which will come at unbearable costs.
- Prime Minister Netanyahu should actively strengthen the Palestinian Authority while ceasing all unilateral steps designed to weaken it, as fostering such a policy would enhance Israel’s security and collaborations with the Palestinian security apparatuses.
- Israel should assertively enforce the law and employ punitive measures against the violent targeting of IDF and Palestinian civilians in Judea and Samaria, for it amounts to challenging its rule of law. This violence also fuels incitement and is being used by anti-Israeli civil society organizations in the international arena to legitimize their hate.
- On the regional level, the strategic relations with Egypt and Jordan must be actively restored, including Prime Minister Netanyahu’s ties with President el-Sisi and King Abdullah. These two countries play a crucial role in keeping Israel safe, inter alia as part of its defense in the ongoing campaign against Iran and its regional proxies.
- Israel must support the Lebanese government’s steps under President Michel Aoun to reduce Hizballah’s power and clout in Lebanon, while continuing to strike Hizballah targets there. At the same time, this opportunity for advancing security agreements with Syria must be seized as part of the overall effort against Iran, as well as in an attempt to weaken Turkey’s hold on the region. Moreover, due to its longstanding commitment, Israel is also required to guarantee the safety of Syrian minority groups (the Druze and Kurds).
- Israel’s overall power is derived from its Jewish and democratic character, as well as the values of the Zionist vision. To retain its might, Prime Minister Netanyahu should immediately shelve all steps advancing the governmental coup, primarily the efforts to oust the Attorney General, undermine the authority of the Supreme Court, lash out at law enforcement representatives, and promote laws designed to cause imbalance and limit the freedom of the press.
Institute for Policy and Strategy (IPS), Executive Director: Maj. Gen. (res.) Prof. Amos Gilead
Editted by Dr. Shay Har-Zvi, Senior Fellow, Institute for Policy and Strategy (IPS), Reichman University.
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