Face to Face with Ofir Akunis

PHOTO: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90

Ofir Akunis is a Bibi-ist in the professional sense of the term, having been part of Netanyahu’s team since the latter’s first term as prime minister in 1996. After serving in various party roles in the Likud as well as in government roles, including stints as a cabinet minister, Akunis became Israel’s consul general in New York in May 2024. A week before Trump’s return to office, there’s no one better to talk to about the state of relations between the US and Israel.

We’re just days away from Trump’s inauguration, and what his second presidency will look like is still unclear. On the one hand, we hear the president-elect promising heavy retribution for Hamas, and we see the Republican-led House of Representatives voting to sanction the International Court of Justice in The Hague. On the other hand, Trump recently tweeted a clip criticizing Prime Minister Netanyahu, and is courting Turkish president Erdogan.

I can’t explain the tweet — that’s for the president or his team. But let’s talk substance. Trump, with a big mandate from the American people, is ushering in a new approach on almost every issue. First in terms of American domestic issues — he talked about illegal immigration, about inflation, about the cost of living. But he will also take a different approach to the Middle East. And apropos of that, I agree with outgoing secretary of state Anthony Blinken, who said recently that pressuring Israel didn’t help with a hostage deal.

Do you agree with the Israeli right’s interpretation, that Blinken effectively confirmed the claim that the pressure and protests led Hamas to harden its stance and delay a deal?

In my view, it was a shocking interview that will be remembered for years to come, no less. Much will be said about it, and everyone will interpret it differently. But what I’m saying is that in one week, we’ll be seeing a very different side of America. On the one hand, you have the approach of striking the head of the snake with strength and determination, which Trump will bring to the White House.

And on the other hand, there’s the Biden administration’s mindset, which is that we have to make concessions to bring about a hostage deal, as Blinken admitted. And everyone can see that so far, the outgoing administration’s approach hasn’t led to a deal.