The Liberal Gun Club Forum

President Donald Trump on Saturday said he discussed potentially moving forward with a mutual defense treaty with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “I had a call today with Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss the possibility of moving forward with a Mutual Defense Treaty, between the United States and Israel, that would further anchor the tremendous alliance between our two countries,” the president tweeted.

“I look forward to continuing those discussions after the Israeli Elections when we meet at the United Nations later this month!” The call comes just three days before Israel’s election. Netanyahu faces a tough re-election bid after a more than 13-year tenure as prime minister.

Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign assistance since World War II. The U.S. has provided Israel $142.3 billion in bilateral assistance and missile defense funding, according to the Congressional Research Service. In 2019, the U.S. will provide Israel with $3.3 billion in military assistance.

American attitudes toward Israel’s government are divided. In April 2019, the Pew Research Center released survey results showing that by nearly two-to-one, Republicans have a favorable view of Israel’s government. In contrast, two-thirds of Democrats view Israel’s government unfavorably, while just 26% have a favorable opinion.

Trump also said on Friday that he doesn’t believe Israel is spying on the U.S., following a report that said Israel was mostly likely behind cellphone surveillance devices found near the White House and elsewhere in Washington D.C. Israel denied the report.

Avigdor Liberman, a hawkish former defense minister, blocked his erstwhile ally Netanyahu this spring from forming a governing coalition [after the April 2019 election], sending Israel back to an unprecedented do-over election.

Now, it is predicted that Liberman and his political party, ­Yisrael Beiteinu, will win enough parliamentary seats Tuesday to potentially determine whether Netanyahu will continue his historic tenure as prime minister or be replaced by his chief challenger, former military chief Benny Gantz.

At stake in the election is not only the balance between religious and secular visions for Israel’s future. Netanyahu has promised, if reelected, to upend the longtime status quo in the occupied territories by annexing large portions of the West Bank, an initiative that would be popular with right-wing voters but could incur Arab outrage. When he announced these grand designs, he cited the approval of the Trump administration, slated to release its new Middle East peace plan after the Israeli election. And personally for Netanyahu, who this summer became Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, the election could determine whether he faces prosecution in three criminal cases involving allegations of fraud, bribery and breach of trust. Reports suggest that he is counting on securing a governing coalition so he might pass legislation to help him avoid prosecution.

“I will not sit in a government with the ultra-Orthodox or the fanatics,” Liberman recently promised a crowd of about 100 affluent and influential native Israelis who turned out at an expansive villa north of Tel Aviv to hear his campaign pitch.

“I’m not against Haredim,” he said, using the Hebrew term to describe the ultra-Orthodox. “My family is mixed religious and secular. My wife is Orthodox. My daughter is Orthodox. On Friday night we make kiddush, but on Saturday morning, if there is no election, I go play tennis.”

Then, in his signature deadpan voice, Liberman added: “In my house, I only eat kosher. Outside, I only eat what tastes good.”