Posted on 01/14/25
| News Source: Arutz-7
In an interview with Israel National News-Arutz Sheva, Republicans Overseas Israel Chairman Marc Zell calls on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to politely refuse the deal with Hamas that President-elect Trump is pressing on Israel to reach before he takes office. "Israel's interests must come first," Zell stated.
We ask Zell if Trump's threats are aimed also or even mostly at Israel, and if maybe, for that reason Netanyahu is rushing to reach the deal before the inauguration. Zell answers that he does not want to see it as threats or pressure on Israel, but rather a deal between Israel and the US which is the true deal here.
"Trump is a man of deals and negotiations," says Zell and notes that his two main interests at the moment are to fulfill his promise to the American public to end the war in Gaza and to return the hostages, or at least a large number of them and two present himself to the world as a serious leader who knows how to run things and start a new era. To him, says Zell, the goal is a strong America first.
On the other hand, says Zell, "Israel has its interests, the destruction of Hamas, the release of the hostages, and so on." To meet these interests, according to him, Trump is offering Netanyahu a deal in which there will be a short ceasefire and the hostages will be released, and in return, Netanyahu will get important leverage in another important issue - the Iranian nuclear issue. "Trump is offering arms and military and diplomatic support, and Netanyahu will get a green light to destroy the head of the Iranian Kraken."
While that is what Trump is offering Netanyahu to Zell's estimation, personally, he has a surprising stance. "I, Marc Zell, a Trump supporter, a Republican, and the chairman of the party in Israel; if I were in Netanyahu's place, I would say that I thank Trump for everything he did in his first term and what he said he would do, and even apologize for that phone call to Biden (congratulating him in 2020), but just like you, Donald, put America first, I need to put Israel first and I can not agree to a situation where Hamas has six weeks to get stronger and we don't get all the hostages back in one shot. Therefore, I say with all due respect and appreciation, no."
Zell is careful to stress that Netanyahu should state his refusal with the required courtesy and as part of the negotiations. "I very much appreciate Netanyahu and support what he's done, and I'm a proud Israeli and Likud member, but in these negotiations, which I don't know much about, I would say 'no,' but politely. We aren't enemies. We are on the same side, but 'believe me, Donald, I need to worry about my country and that's what's needed. Sorry, but that's the situation.'"
We spoke with Zell as he was traveling to the airport where he will board a flight to attend Trump's inauguration next week. On that note, he says: "I know that the entire official world will come after me and I don't know what's expected for me there, but as a plain American and Israeli citizen who understands both sides, that's what I think. In the end, I need to care for the fate of my people here in Israel."