Trump’s Time Person of the Year interview covered Israel, war – The Forward

President-elect Donald Trump outlined his vision for achieving peace in the Middle East — including his position on the possible annexation of the occupied West Bank — during a wide-ranging interview with Time magazine published when he was named Person of the Year. During the presidential election, Trump promised to bring stability to the region, pledging to end the ongoing war in Gaza, further isolating Iran.

In interview published on ThursdayTrump has avoided taking a clear position on whether he supports a two-state solution as part of postwar peace efforts. “I support whatever solution we can do to achieve peace,” he said. “I want a long-lasting peace, a peace where we don’t have an October 7 in another three years. And there are numerous ways you can do that. You can do it in two states, but there are many ways it can be done.”

Trump’s views on Israeli settlements

Trump’s first term has been marked by a series of bold pro-Israel measures, including relocating the US embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. His ambitious 2020 peace plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was eventually shelved in favor of the Abraham Accords, which established normalized relations between Israel and four Arab nations.

Trump’s National Security Options they are staunch supporters of Israelsome of which have denied the existence of the Palestinian people and supports the annexation of the occupied West Bank. Trump’s Mike Huckabee ambassador-designate to Israelis a staunch supporter of Israeli settlements and the annexation of the West Bank.

Trump sidestepped direct questions about whether he would support annexation, which could complicate efforts to meet Palestinian demands in any future negotiations. “What I want is a deal where there is peace and where the killing stops,” Trump said. Time.

When pressed on whether he would allow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex Israeli settlements in the West Bank, a move Trump apparently he was blocked during his first termhe remained unemployed. “We’ll see what happens,” he said.

Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza

In his wide-ranging remarks about the Middle East, Trump described the 14-month war in Gaza as “easier to solve” than the Russia-Ukraine war, despite its complexity. “We will settle over a period of time, hopefully soon,” he said. “Very productive things are happening.”

The Biden administration attempted one last push to secure a hostage and cease-fire deal before leaving office on January 20, 2025. current proposal includes a 60-day ceasefire during which up to 30 hostages held in Gaza, including US citizens, will be released. If successful, the deal could pave the way for additional waves of releases and a broader agreement leading to a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Trump said he supports the efforts and issued an ultimatum to Hamas, saying all hostages must be released before he returns to the White House.

His draw for the Middle East, Steven Witkoff during a visit to the region This week he said it would “not be a nice day” if the hostages held in Gaza were not released in the coming weeks. Trump himself earlier this month promised “All hell to pay” if the hostages are not released.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who met with Netanyahu on Thursday, he told reporters is optimistic that a deal can be finalized this month. “I felt from the prime minister that he was ready to make a deal,” Sullivan told a news conference in Jerusalem.

The relationship with Netanyahu

trump card sour on Netanyahu during his first term as president. Following the election of Joe Biden in 2020, Trump he used profane remarks to describe his feelings about the old Israeli prime minister briefing to Biden while Trump is still disputing the results.

The pair have reset their relationship in the past year. In July, after an attempt on his life, Trump distributed on its Truth Social platform a video of Netanyahu condemning the assassination that injured the former president and killed a bystander. And Netanyahu has spoken to Trump seven times in recent weeks. Netanyahu is considering traveling to the US next month to attend Trump’s inauguration.

In Time interview, asked about reports that he urged Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza before he is sworn in for a second term on Jan. 20, Trump said the Israeli leader knows he is serious about seeing the conflict end. “I don’t want people killed on either side,” he said, “whether it’s Palestinians or Israelis.”

However, Trump declined to say whether he trusted Netanyahu. “I don’t trust anybody,” he said.

Trump on Iran

Trump’s promise to end the wars aligns with his broader skepticism about extensive US military engagements abroad.

At the same time, Trump has taken a more confrontational stance toward Iran, focusing on countering its aggression and nuclear ambitions. His national security team supports US military action or gives Israel permission to strike Tehran if necessary.

“Anything can happen,” Trump said when asked about the chances of going to war with Iran during his second term. “Anything could happen. It’s a very volatile situation.”