The day after the election results were published in the United States, the entire world seems to be in momentary astonishment, and in a state of ‘recalculating route’. The clear results in Trump’s favor, which so far indicate victory in all key states (5 of which are certain, and Arizona and Nevada, which have not yet finished the vote but are inclined in his favor), as well as a sweeping Republican victory in the Senate election (where Republicans have won at least 3 seats, thus tilting the scales from 51 to 49 against them, To at least 52 in their favor – a solid majority by all accounts, with 2 seats still being counted but also leaning in their favor) and in the House (where 40 seats are still being counted, with Republicans having already won 205, and the amount required for majority is 218 – a number that Republicans will likely bypass), add up to a clear mandate that the American people have given Donald Trump to redirect the United States for the next four years.
The biggest shock in America itself is that Trump won not only the electoral votes, but also the total popular vote – and probably by a pretty significant margin of at least 51% . If the previous election could have been mistaken for a temporary malfunction in the system, then this election proves that Trump is not a glitch or a transient phenomenon, but the real deal – a new dominant stream in American politics. America looks straight at the mirror, and realizes for the first time in many years who it really is, and where the heart of the silent majority is.
In Israel, optimistic statements were made by officials in the government and abroad, who hope that Trump will remove restraints on Israel and even expand security support. Many remember Trump’s first term, in which he expressed unwavering support for Israel, recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and moving the American embassy to Jerusalem. While Trump is now coming to the White House surrounded by various advisers (when Gerard Kushner, the Jewish son-in-law and architect of the Abraham Accords, is absent), his main goal is to end the war and avoid more wars; however, the odds in the international diplomatic campaign now seem to favor Israel. Netanyahu spoke with Trump for 20 minutes yesterday and congratulated him on his victory, while thawing the ice between the two since the last elections; hopefully the two will return to a fruitful relationship, which will bring about welcome changes in the Middle East.
And if we are dealing with the Middle East, there are seismic changes in Iran and its allies, who have yet to make explicit statements about changing plans and intentions – but it is evident that from now on, the time in the war is certainly not working in their favor, and in 75 days, the president who remembers them as a bitter opponent will enter the White House. There is a good chance that Iran and some of its allies (Hezbollah is more likely, less so Hamas) will strive for a quick end to the war, even at heavy prices, in order to cut losses and avoid the risk of Trump – something that Israel is certainly able to use to advance its strategic goals. In addition, Saudi Arabia and other countries are expected to align more strongly with the flute of the United States, and perhaps to move back on the path of normalization with Israel after the war.
Finally, in Ukraine, there is a grave concern that they will be forced to abandon land to Russia in the near future, and also in Europe there is a concern that the United States will not help in its defense against Russia, and that Trump may harm the strength of NATO in accordance with his economic and isolationist policy. The biggest variable is China, which has recently raised its threats against Taiwan, and may try the new president (or worse – take advantage of a transition period in the United States) in a way that will bring the whole world to the brink of friction. Hopefully, Trump will demonstrate wise diplomatic conduct during his tenure, which will drive down the flames and tensions in the world.
