By Quds News Network
As President-elect Donald Trump shapes his administration, his cabinet picks have raised eyebrows, especially among those concerned about US foreign policy and long history of wars.
A significant number of his nominees hold deep ties to the zionist lobby and advocate strongly for pro-Israel stances. With individuals such as Mike Huckabee, Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, and Mike Waltz among the key figures in Trump’s cabinet, these appointments signal a continuation of the hardline, pro-Israel policies that defined the United States’ foreign policy.
Marco Rubio: Secretary of State
Senator Marco Rubio, a long-time proponent of Israel, is set to take on the role of Secretary of State. Rubio’s connections to the zionist lobby are well-documented, with his political career bolstered by figures such as Norman Braman, a prominent zionist businessman.
Rubio’s advocacy for the occupation state is clear in his public statements, including his support for Israeli military assaults and his calls for unlimited support for Israel so that it finishes what it started in Gaza.
Marco Rubio told anti-genocide protesters that he did not want a ceasefire in Gaza and that Israel should “destroy every element of Hamas they can get their hands on.”
His close relationship with the zionist lobby, especially in Florida, has helped him gain traction among pro-genocide Americans.
Pete Hegseth: Secretary of Defense
A Fox News host with a strong pro-Israel record, Pete Hegseth is tapped for the role of Secretary of Defense. Known for his support of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, Hegseth has become a vocal advocate for the occupation state. His experience in the US Army further shapes his views, and his time in Israel has only solidified his position as a supporter of Israel as a colonial project.
Hegseth’s hawkish views on Iran, particularly his calls for military intervention, align with Trump’s stance of maximum pressure on Tehran.
Through his media platform, Hegseth has consistently promoted Israel’s narrative that its defense is critical, making him a key figure in any discussions regarding US support for Israel. Also, he dubbed the two-state solution a “lip service”.
As an evangelical Christian, he views the colonizing of Palestine through a biblical lens.
“This is not some mystical land that can be dismissed. It’s the story of God’s chosen people. That story didn’t end in 1776 or in 1948 or with the founding of the UN. All of these things still resonate and matter today,” Hegseth said in a 2016 interview with the Jewish Press.
Mike Waltz: National Security Adviser
As a former Green Beret and staunch advocate for Israel, Mike Waltz’s appointment to National Security Adviser reinforces Trump’s commitment to strengthening ties with the occupation state.
Waltz has long supported Israeli war crimes, including those against Lebanon and Iran and encouraged Israel to strike Iranian nuclear facilities. His aligns with the Trump administration’s foreign policy, particularly regarding Iran. Waltz has also played a pivotal role in the expansion of the normalization agreements between Israel and the UAE.
Waltz called Israel “the greatest ally we’ve ever known.”
“The next administration should, as Mr. Trump argued, ‘let Israel finish the job’ and ‘get it over with fast’ against Hamas. They should put a credible military option on the table to make clear to the Iranians that America would stop them building nuclear weapons, and reinstate a diplomatic and economic pressure campaign to stop them and to constrain their support for terror proxies,” he wrote in an Economist essay.
Elise Stefanik: US Ambassador to the UN
Elise Stefanik’s appointment as US Ambassador to the United Nations carries significant weight in the context of US support for the occupation state. Known for her aggressive style, Stefanik has consistently advocated for Israel at the UN, particularly when Iran or Palestinians’ rights are mentioned.
She has been known for her efforts to oppose anti-genocide efforts, such as standing against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA).
In May, amid Israel’s genocide in Rafah, southern Gaza, she addressed a caucus in the Israeli Knesset, urging the US to provide “the state of Israel with whatever it needs, whenever it needs it, unconditionally, to secure total victory against evil.”
Representative Stefanik drew international attention during congressional hearings last spring, where she accused the presidents of several prominent US universities of being “anti-Semitic” for permitting student protests against Israel’s crimes in Gaza.
Mike Huckabee: US Ambassador to Israel
Mike Huckabee’s appointment as Ambassador to Israel is one of the most notable picks in Trump’s second-term cabinet. A longtime supporter of the occupation state and a close confidante of Benjamin Netanyahu, Huckabee’s evangelical background and deep ties to the occupation state make him a strategic choice.
With more than 100 trips to Israel under his belt, Huckabee is seen as a strong advocate for Israel’s annexation ambitions, including his endorsement of the annexation of the West Bank.
Huckabee has called Palestine “historically” Jewish and described himself as an “unapologetic, unreformed Zionist.”
“The title deed was given by God to Abraham and to his heirs,” he said, signaling his belief in a one-state solution that rejects Palestinian sovereignty in favor of exclusive Israeli control over the entire land of historic Palestine.
“There is no such thing as the West Bank – it’s Judea and Samaria. There is no such thing as settlements – they’re communities, they’re neighborhoods, they’re cities. There is no such thing as an occupation,” Huckabee said in 2017.
He has even denied the existence of the Palestinian people, claiming that “there really isn’t such a thing” as Palestinians, calling it “a term that was co-opted by Yasser Arafat,” the late Palestinian president.
Steven Witkoff: Special Envoy to the Middle East
A real estate businessman with no diplomatic experience, Steven Witkoff’s appointment as Special Envoy to the Middle East is seen as another example of Trump’s reliance on zionists.
Witkoff, who worked closely with Jared Kushner on the Trump normalization plan, is supposed to bring a deal-making approach to Middle East diplomacy.
His support for Israel, especially the genocide, further aligns him with Trump’s pro-Israel stance. Witkoff has also close ties to Netanyahu.
In an interview with Fox News, Witkoff described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress as “strong” and noted that it was “epic” to be in the room. He also criticized those who chose to boycott the speech.
Other Notable Appointments
Several other appointments further emphasize Trump’s pro-Israel and pro-genocide agenda. John Ratcliffe, former Director of National Intelligence, is known for his staunch support of Israel. He has even criticized the Biden administration’s handling of Israel.
Stephen Miller, a key architect of Trump’s immigration policies, is another zionist figure within the administration.
Trump’s second-term cabinet selections reveal a clear agenda that prioritizes unwavering support for Israel, even as it continues its genocide in Gaza and threatens neighboring countries.
From bolstering Israeli war crimes to tacitly endorsing its territorial ambitions across the region, Trump’s choices show a blatant disregard for Palestinians’ lives.
As these key figures take their positions, it is evident that Trump’s pro-Israel bias will remain a dominant feature of his foreign policy. This approach risks further alienating across the world and could escalate tensions and confirm the US involvement in the genocide against the Palestinian people.
17 November 2024
Source: countercurrents.org