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.

Short on Details

We’ve all heard Netanyahu’s complaints about the arms embargo and the pressure from the Biden administration, but let’s put Blinken and the outgoing administration aside for a moment and talk about Trump and what happens a week from now. When Trump harshly threatens Hamas, what does that mean? As someone who’s very close to Netanyahu to this day, you’re talking with movers and shakers in America, and during this visit you’re talking to the Israeli political leadership as well — so what will American pressure on Hamas look like in practice? For example, will we see less humanitarian aid being transferred into the Strip and falling into the hands of Hamas?

Let’s start with the fact that the statements we’re hearing from the new administration are fundamentally different. A statement by the leader of a country, especially by the president of the United States, carries heavy weight in the international arena — and of course in the region as well. This time, the target is Hamas, which understands that there will be repercussions.

Can you elaborate on those repercussions? The question ultimately is how all the big words will translate into action.

I’ll be very honest with you: President Trump hasn’t gone into too much detail with us either at this stage, but his statements indicate in which direction he’s leaning. And it’s not just the hostages he’s been making statements about — there have been others. He hasn’t discussed specifics with us either. At this stage, before he takes office, it’s understandable that he doesn’t want to go into detail, but it’s good to hear a statement of intention on his part that’s in stark contrast to the words and actions of the outgoing administration.

We’re seeing a new wind blowing in Canada as well. Justin Trudeau has resigned, and opposition head Pierre Poilievre, who according to polls may step into his shoes, said that an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities would be a gift to humanity.

I wouldn’t dismiss what’s happening in Canada at all. Without knowing what the Canadian people will vote for, just as I didn’t know what the American people would vote for — no one did — the very fact that a voice like Poilievre’s is being heard in public is an incredible and positive change for Israel at this time.

That’s interesting, because Trump has been very dismissive of Canada, joking that it should become the 51st state — but you think that it does have significance in terms of influencing other Western countries, in Europe?

I think that Trudeau’s policy, whose focus was on pressuring Israel rather than Hamas, was a big mistake, which helped torpedo a hostage deal. We were just talking about the significance of statements by world leaders. Canada is one of the largest countries in the world, at least in terms of economy and land mass. Of course the president of the United States has much more weight in international discourse, but the prime minister of Canada also has weight. So what I’m saying is that Trudeau’s comments also had an impact, creating an absurd atmosphere of putting pressure not on Hamas, but rather on Israel, which came under the barbaric, cruel, and animalistic attack of October 7.

Advancing a Deal

America first, but Europe is right behind. We’re seeing how all the Western leaders who criticized us, such as Macron in France, are becoming the targets of immense public anger for their progressive politics. But this is a subject for its own podcast.

Let’s talk about the hostage deal. How do you advance a deal in this climate? Each week is like a Bibi-manic episode. One day, you think a deal is right around the corner, and next thing you know, it’s receded. You’re working in America on Netanyahu’s behalf, and you’re close to him personally — what are you doing in practice to advance a deal? Because the opposition here in Israel argues that Netanyahu is deliberately holding up a deal in order to preserve his government.

Those are baseless accusations. We just heard Blinken admit that the mistake was in not applying pressure on Hamas, and let me clarify his words further for the benefit of your readers. He said, “Whenever we approached a deal and they saw that the pressure was on Israel, they pulled back.”

John Kirby, the National Security Council spokesperson, said last month that Hamas needs to make a decision, because Israel has already made one. He said that three weeks ago, he said it two weeks ago, and he repeated it again last week. Notice that both the incoming and outgoing administrations are saying, “We should have applied pressure on Hamas when we were close to a deal over the past few months.” And they didn’t do that.

No one here is shifting the blame from Hamas, but what part can be played by the Israeli government, which, after all is said and done, is responsible for bringing back citizens who were kidnapped from their beds?

We’re pushing for a deal, but John Kirby is telling you that it’s up to Hamas to make a decision. I don’t argue with the opposition, because I’m in a nonpartisan role in which I represent all Israelis. But you just have to listen. You can’t take things out of context and use them for political purposes. You just have to listen to the Americans, and no one suspects them of being Bibi-ists….

We’ve heard from US House Speaker Mike Johnson, who was reelected last week, about the immense pressure he’s going to exert on the International Criminal Court in The Hague. We saw the sanctions Congress passed by a vote of 243–140, which include restrictions on the entry of ICC officials into the United States. But the legislation still requires a majority of 60 senators to be approved. Do you think the pressure from the incoming administration will lead to the cancellation of the arrest warrants against Prime Minister Netanyahu and another Israeli citizen who goes by the name of Yoav Gallant?

The arrest warrants were issued wrongly, in total disregard for reality. There are a series of concrete steps that can be taken, and I believe that the Trump administration, which has already made its position clear, will act to have the orders revoked.

You have to understand that if the US wants to lead international institutions in a different direction, and not just make do with some official condemnation, it has the power to get things done. And that is the big change that I very much hope we will see in the Trump administration. The president already proved in his first term that he doesn’t make do with talking, but demands action.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1045)