Dr. Mike Evans, Founder and President of Friends of Zion, joined Arutz Sheva-Israel National News on Monday ahead of President Donald Trump's inauguration.
Evans explains why he is in Jerusalem and didn't travel to partake in the festivities in Washington, DC: "This is Jerusalem, DC - David's Capital. I was the point person for Donald Trump for Israel for four years and I'll be that point person for the next four. I want Donald Trump to be 100% connected to the State of Israel as he was last time."
Asked whether Trump will indeed be connected to Israel in this coming term, Evans answers: "You got Mike Huckabee on board, he chose him to be the ambassador. Everybody knows Mike Huckabee's position of moral clarity, he's an evangelical, and he also believes in sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. Donald Trump is going to be on board."
According to Dr. Evans, "One of the first things you're going to have with Donald Trump is peace with Saudi Arabia. This is the crown jewel of the Abraham Accords and he's going to bring that and it's going to be significant for the State of Israel. It will happen this year."
Evans says those who believe that Trump pressured Israel to accept the hostage deal are "absolutely wrong" and continued: "It was pressure on Hamas, not on Netanyahu. Hamas would never have conceded without Donald Trump. They know Donald Trump means what he says: 'They'll have hell to pay.' Don't think for a second that Donald Trump isn't going to be supportive of Israel. Hamas are terrorists, they're liars, and if they break this deal, they'll have hell to pay with Donald Trump. He'll support the state of Israel, in whatever they have to do."
To those who are disappointed to see Hamas terrorists celebrating in Gaza, he says: "You can't kill Hamas with a bullet, it's an ideology. You killed more than 90% of its leadership, you destroyed more than 90% of its infrastructure, just like you did with Hezbollah, just like you did in Syria. So you've been incredibly victorious. But the swamp has to be drained, there has to be a complete re-education process against this ideology and it's going to take time."
Regarding the way Trump will relate to the next steps of the war to eliminate Hamas, Dr. Evans emphasizes the new President's team: "You've got this new Secretary of State, who's incredibly pro-Israel, he attended my inauguration event at the Waldorf - Rubio. The whole team is incredibly pro-Israel. You have three armies that have been destroyed by Israel, the armies of Iran, now Iran is vulnerable and Israel's still going to have to deal with the head of the snake. So getting some distance with this Gaza situation is going to be very helpful for Israel because they're going to need the full support of the US to deal with Iran."
According to Evans, "Iran must be bankrupt, Israel could bankrupt Iran in 72 hours by bombing the oil refineries and cargos. 85% of the population hates the Mullahs. The Shah was overthrown by an oil strike. Israel can collapse the economy of Iran and there's no more funding for terror. I think Donald Trump will support that, as long as it's done quickly and it will change everything."
He says other terror-supporting countries such as Qatar will "have hell to pay with Donald Trump. Trump will have zero tolerance for Qatar or any other country funding Hamas, if they try it he's going to put sanctions on them, he's going to make their lives a living hell. Secondly, the Egyptians have been enormously helpful, I've met with Sisi many times, he understands this world, and he can be enormously helpful to the State of Israel. Once the money stops, the weaponry stops, and once strong Sunis go in there and drain the swamp, things will begin to change."
He adds that he does not believe that Donald Trump will allow the Palestinian Authority "to have the purse. He knows they're corrupt. When he was President last time, he cut them off because he knew about the corruption. So I think he'll establish a trust but he won't allow the Palestinians to control it."