After four years of former President Joe Biden throwing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Jewish state under the bus at every opportunity in deference to Gazan Palestinians as the Israel-Hamas war raged on, Netanyahu was beyond relieved after Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election.
Now, less than four months after Trump’s inauguration, Netanyahu declared on Wednesday that “Israel will defend itself by itself” after Trump on Tuesday announced that the U.S. had reached a ceasefire deal between Yemen’s Houthis that does not include Israel, which is also at war with the Houthis.
An Israeli official told the Jerusalem Post that his government was surprised by Trump’s announcement.
We were completely shocked. Israel was not informed before Trump made the statement.
Netanyahu said in a short video to the Israeli people:
First of all, we are dealing with it, and the rule that I have set is: Israel will defend itself by itself. We are doing this in Yemen, we are doing this in other places, and the distances are very great. Israel has a long arm, and we will deploy it. If others join us, our American friends – all the better. If they don’t join – we will defend ourselves by ourselves.
The Foreign Ministry of Oman said on Tuesday it brokered the deal between the U.S. and the Houthis:
In the future, neither side will target the other, including American vessels, in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, ensuring freedom of navigation and the smooth flow of international commercial shipping.
The Sultanate of Oman expresses its gratitude to both parties for their constructive approach that led to this welcome outcome, and hopes that it will lead to further progress on many regional issues towards achieving justice, peace, and prosperity for all.
Sounds great, and not to rain on the parade, but I’m reminded of the innumerable ceasefires made with Islamist terrorists through the years, only to see them fall apart after the terrorists regrouped.
The tweet continues:
“In the future, neither side will target the other, including American vessels, in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, ensuring freedom of navigation and the smooth flow of international commercial shipping. The Sultanate of Oman expresses its gratitude to both parties for their constructive approach that led to this welcome outcome, and hopes that it will lead to further progress on many regional issues towards achieving justice, peace, and prosperity for all.”
Here’s more:
According to the Jerusalem Post, Israel’s leadership was blindsided by Trump’s announcement, which came after the U.S. had struck the Houthis almost daily since March 15, hitting over 1,000 targets.
In addition, the U.S. military had just provided a security umbrella for broad Israeli airstrikes in Yemen on Monday and Tuesday.
“We were completely shocked. Israel was not informed before Trump made the statement,” an Israeli official told the newspaper.
Another Israeli official said that “some are concerned there will be more surprise moves,” in comments to the Times of Israel. “Others say we should wait and see how this plays out.”
Trump told reporters on Tuesday:
They have capitulated, but more importantly, we will take their own word. They say they will not be blowing up ships anymore, and that’s the purpose of what we were doing.
Trump added that the agreement was “effective immediately.”
The Houthis later declared they will continue to strike the Jewish state until Israel lifts the blockade on the Gaza Strip — which doesn’t appear will happen anytime soon: Israel is reportedly planning to drastically expand the scope of its war against Hamas in Gaza.
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