Former Trump envoy Jason Greenblatt, spoke to Arutz Sheva – Israel National News on the upcoming US elections, on US attitudes to Israel, and antisemitism in the US.
Jason Greenblatt, says he believes that “This election is the most historic and important election in my lifetime. The difference between the two candidates is stark. We have a candidate who some people may not like, how he speaks or tweets from time to time, and posts on social media, but he’s proven himself, with respect to the US, with very strong important policies for domestic issues, but he has also proven himself for a region that I also hold very near and dear to my heart, first of all, the Jewish State of Israel, and of course, the rest of the region, the Abraham Accords, and everything else that he accomplished during his presidency.”
In contrast, Greenblatt says that, “The other candidate for president, Kamala Harris; we don’t really know what she stands for. I’ve actually been out there defending President Biden, and since October 7th there are many, many important things that President Biden did, even if there are certain things that I disagree with heavily, I think he did make many mistakes, but he’s done some very, very important things for the State of Israel.”
“Kamala Harris, I don’t think she has it. I don’t think she has the knowledge. I don’t think she has it in her kishkes. I don’t think she really understands the problems that Israel faces day in and day out, even beyond October 7th. So to me the choice is clear,” explains Greenblatt.
Greenblatt expresses his disappointment in the pressures that were coming from Washington after the first few weeks since the October 7th massacre, “Some of it was political, but, I want to be careful not to criticize President Biden, because he has done so many important things for Israel. He did start off his presidency making some serious mistakes. Initially he didn’t even want to use the term Abraham Accords, he was very disrespectful to Saudi Arabia and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, and after October 7th, he visited Israel. That is very, very important. He sent weapons, but then took away some weapons. It’s been a mixed bag. But largely speaking, I think he’s done some important things. We need to be grateful. Despite his mistakes, despite his not 100 percent support of Israel. With Kamala Harris I think you’re going to face something very, very different and it concerns me a lot.”
Greenblat warns that if Harris wins, “So I’m not sure we’re going to see the kind of support, first of all at the UN, as we’re accustomed to seeing for Israel. I don’t think we’re going to be surprised when weapons issues come up again. I think we’re going to see a lot of pressure on Israel not to hit back against the Iranian regime. I think we’re going to see a lot of pressure on Israel to stop its just war against Hamas, and of course against Hezbollah. I think we’re going to see a lot of pressure, and I think the State of Israel, and especially Bibi Netanyahu, knows how to deal with that, but of course things would be much better if they didn’t have to deal with that. Israel right now has tremendous pressure and challenges, as it stands, it surely doesn’t need a president in the Oval Office, who is going to make matters worse.”
On the Abraham Accords, Hamas’ fear of Saudi Arabia possibly joining the Accords, Greenblatt says that, “unfortunately things have hardened in a way that’s unhelpful, when it comes to pushing forward with the Abraham Accords, but with the right leader in the Oval Office, I hope that this is actually a potential opportunity, because so much has been turned over in the Middle East, what’s happened with Hamas, what’s happened with Hezbollah. When it comes to Hezbollah, Israel’s success, both in terms of attacking Iran, in terms of weakening it, to some degree, and finally unmasking what Iran is to the region, the threat that it is, not just to Israel, but to the entire region. I think that with the right leadership we can make progress. But the devil’s going to be in the details, of course. What the Saudis position is right now is different than it was when we were in the administration and I think we’re going to have to work through that very, very carefully and very, very closely.”
Greenblatt offers advice to the State of Israel, “'Listen to the interlocutors,’ you may not be able to give them what they’re looking for, maybe they’re asking for too much, it’s true. But don’t dismiss it. Engage with them. Engage with their asks, engage with what they think. The right solution should be there, and explain to them why some of those solutions are either impossible, unfair and inappropriate, or out of the question.”
“Sadly, I don’t think there’s a way to fully beat the ancient hate. What happened here, and here is where I certainly fault Biden and Harris, I think we were too weak on what happened here. The protests on college campuses went beyond mere protesting, the city street protesting that we saw, the breakout throughout the country, the hatred, the vile-bile that came out of people’s mouths and actions, and I think it has to come from the top. The White House has to set a tone. The same way they set a tone against other minorities, against other religions. They have to be clear, not just in words, but in actions, and punish those people who did it. I think funding should be cut from college campuses who allow it. Some college campuses arrested people and then they were allowed back in to the campuses. We’re completely inconsistent with how we deal with it. We say one thing and say it’s not acceptable, but our actions show it is indeed acceptable. We have to be much harsher, swifter, thorough and consistent in our response,” concludes Greenblatt.