How will President-elect Trump's victory impact the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas?

Experts predict that President-elect Trump's victory will result in a new U.S. Middle East policy that will significantly impact Israel's conflict with Hamas and Hezbollah.

Planet Chronicle Digital sought the opinions of prominent U.S. and Israeli experts on the Middle East regarding the implications of a second Trump term on the ongoing instability and conflicts in the region. The Iranian government has actively supported Hamas and Hezbollah in their battles against the Jewish state for over a year. Additionally, Tehran has carried out two aerial drone and missile attacks on the Jewish state in 2024.

According to Caroline Glick, a U.S.-Israel Mideast expert who served as an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump's policy of respecting Israel's democratically elected government will allow Netanyahu and his ministers to successfully conclude their strategy of victory over Iran and its proxies. Israel does not seek direct U.S. involvement in the war but hopes for diplomatic and other support from the U.S. to achieve victory against common enemies.

Glick stated that the Trump doctrine of reducing U.S. involvement in the Middle East is based on prioritizing the support of America's allies, particularly Israel, in their efforts to defeat their enemies, who are also America's enemies. Trump's support for an Israeli victory will allow him to oversee a post-war period of tranquility and unparalleled peace, which can only be achieved after an Israeli victory.

The Biden administration has been criticized for its handling of Israel's prosecution of the war against Hamas following the jihadist movement's killing of nearly 1,200 people on October 7, 2023, including more than 40 Americans. It is reported that at one point, Biden withheld crucial weapons while Israel was engaged in its existential conflict.

Glick has been a sharp critic of the Biden-Harris administration and stated that Iran continues to pursue nuclear weapons and wage a seven-front war against Israel. The U.S. has protected Hamas's regime in Gaza and Hezbollah's control over Lebanon.

Amir Avivi, the founder of the Israel Defense and Security Forum, stated on Planet Chronicle Digital that President Trump's victory presents a significant opportunity for the Middle East to dismantle the Shiite axis and restore security to the region by signing peace agreements and forming a Western-Israel-Sunni alliance that will extend from Indonesia to Oman.

To achieve peace and prosperity in the Middle East, it is necessary to confront the threats posed by a nuclear Iran. Israel anticipates the US leading a coalition to militarily target Iran's nuclear sites and potentially overthrow the regime, dismantling the Shiite axis that threatens moderate states in the region.

Israel has set the stage for destruction of Hamas and is on the brink of destroying Hezbollah, as stated by Avivi.

According to David Wurmser, a former senior adviser for nonproliferation and Middle East strategy for former Vice President Dick Cheney, the election of Trump will have a significant impact on Middle East policy. Iran and its proxies will feel profoundly threatened, but they will not give up. They cannot; it is a matter of regime survival for Iran.

"Wurmser stated that any Israeli hope that the United States will join Israel in fighting this war, including Iran, is false. Trump will support Israel in protecting itself without reservation or restraint, but he will not do it for Israel."

The formation of the Middle East peace structure that expands the Abraham Accords without pressuring the Saudi or others to deal with the Palestinian issue will have significant American input, as stated.

Trump's first-term Middle East achievement was the Abraham Accords, which established diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab countries. Mideast experts believe that if Trump had won the 2020 election, he could have secured a grand diplomatic recognition agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Wurmser predicts that the new administration will mark a significant change in the region, with a powerful Israel and a weakened Iran forming an alliance that challenges both China and Iran, while abandoning the two-state solution as the primary focus of policy.

The Turkish government, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is likely to face opposition from Trump due to its support for Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist group. In July, Erdoğan threatened to invade Israel to protect Palestinians, and his government provides material support for Hamas terrorists residing in Turkey.

Efrat Aviv, a professor in the Department of General History at Bar-Ilan University in Israel and an expert on Turkey, stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that "Trump's pro-Israel stance conflicts with Erdoğan's support for Hamas, which Turkey views as freedom fighters. Turkey's alleged role in facilitating Hamas's activities, including issuing them passports and aiding money laundering, further complicates relations."

"Turkey experienced relief under Trump's presidency, in contrast to Biden, who had criticized Erdoğan's democratic backslide and excluded Turkey from the 2021 Summit for Democracy. While Brunson was released from Turkish custody under Trump, tensions persist due to issues such as U.S. support for Kurdish groups and Turkey's purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system. Trump imposed sanctions on Turkey five times during his tenure."

Aviv remarked that it is uncertain whether the current situation signifies the start of a new chapter or if the ongoing tensions will persist and affect their personal friendship.

Some critics believe that Trump is moving towards a policy that could force Israel to end the war against Hamas in Gaza and eliminate Hezbollah terrorists and their facilities on the northern border.

Joel Rubin, a former deputy assistant secretary of state who served in the Obama administration, stated to Planet Chronicle Digital, "It is uncertain how a Trump 2.0 administration will operate in the Middle East. Unlike Trump 1.0, he has a more isolationist vice president in JD Vance, and he also instructed Netanyahu to complete the war in Gaza. While he has expressed interest in a deal with Iran over its nuclear program, he has a history of taking aggressive actions against it, and his communications were targeted by the regime during his campaign, which may fuel distrust and suspicion."

"Rubin stated that the domestic issues will likely drive the policy of the president in the early days, while he will avoid international entanglements. He added that if the Middle East causes problems, he will work to resolve them, but his agenda towards resolving longstanding challenges between Israel and the Palestinians will not be very ambitious."