FM Sa’ar says Trump’s return to White House will bring Israel-US ties ‘to new heights’

Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar addresses the press ahead of his New Hope party's weekly faction meeting in the Knesset, December 16, 2024. (Chaim Goldbergl/Flash90)
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar addresses the press ahead of his New Hope party's weekly faction meeting in the Knesset, December 16, 2024. (Chaim Goldbergl/Flash90)

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar welcomes Donald Trump’s inauguration as US president, declaring that it will immensely benefit the Jewish state.

“I want to congratulate President Trump on his inauguration. President Trump was the greatest friend and ally to Israel in his first term,” Sa’ar tells reporters ahead of his New Hope party’s weekly faction meeting in the Knesset.

“We are sure that in his second term we will together bring the great alliance between Israel and America to new heights,” he declares.

Commenting on domestic politics, Sa’ar slams outgoing National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party for leaving the coalition, stating that because of him “the government’s base is shrinking.”

Claiming New Hope enabled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to the ceasefire deal, which Otzma Yehudit rejected, Sa’ar declares that now is “a time of soul-searching for all those who savagely attacked us.”

“Everybody should ask themselves who contributed more to returning the hostages, the opposition leader with his shouts or us with our actions. If we had listened to Lapid, the last 24 hours would have been different,” he states.

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