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Israeli officials were among the first foreign leaders to congratulate Donald J. Trump on his election victory, viewing it as a positive outcome for their country. This sentiment is rooted in Mr. Trump’s history of strong support for Israel, which included significant shifts in longstanding American policy in the Middle East.
During his first term, Mr. Trump implemented several key policies regarding Israel, which are highlighted below.
The Abraham Accords
Under the Trump administration, the number of Arab states establishing diplomatic relations with Israel increased from two to six. New agreements with Morocco, Sudan, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates expanded a list that had previously included only Egypt and Jordan. The most notable of these agreements was the Abraham Accords in 2020, which brought Bahrain and the U.A.E. into diplomatic relations with Israel, motivated by a desire to strengthen alliances against Iran.
Separate agreements with Morocco and Sudan were reached shortly after the Abraham Accords.
Jerusalem
Shortly after taking office, Mr. Trump reversed decades of U.S. diplomatic policy by recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in 2017 and announcing the relocation of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which occurred the following year. Israel had declared West Jerusalem its capital in 1949, while East Jerusalem remained under Jordanian control until the 1967 Middle East war, after which Israel captured and later annexed the area. The status of Jerusalem had traditionally been viewed as a matter for negotiation between Israel and the Palestinians, who seek East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.
The U.S. Congress had passed a law in 1995 mandating the embassy's relocation, but successive administrations had deferred its implementation due to concerns over potential instability in the region.
The Golan Heights
In 2019, the Trump administration became the first to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a territory captured from Syria during the 1967 Middle East war. Mr. Trump signed a proclamation declaring the area part of Israel, marking a significant departure from previous U.S. policy. The United Nations has never recognized this annexation, which was condemned at the time, and Trump's decision faced international criticism, being largely symbolic in nature. The Golan Heights is home to a mixed population of Israelis and Arabs who resided there prior to 1967. In recognition of Mr. Trump’s decision, Israel planned a new settlement in the Golan named Trump Heights.
UNRWA
In 2018, the Trump administration ceased all American funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which had provided approximately $360 million in assistance the previous year. This decision was widely criticized by global leaders and was perceived as a political maneuver to pressure Palestinian leaders regarding the right of return for refugees. The agency has gained attention recently amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, with Israeli officials alleging connections between some UNRWA employees and the Hamas-led attacks on Israel. This assertion led to funding suspensions by several countries, although Israel has not provided evidence to support these claims. Recently, the Knesset passed legislation prohibiting UNRWA from operating in Israel.