Trump has shown he can stop military aid by cutting off weapons to Ukraine. But he won’t use that same power when it comes to Israel. AP Photo
On Tuesday night, Donald Trump addressed Congress but barely mentioned the ongoing conflict in Gaza. His speech only briefly touched on efforts to bring back American hostages held by Hamas. He avoided discussing his controversial idea of turning Gaza into a resort-like area while displacing millions of Palestinians to neighboring countries.
Despite this silence, Trump's actions speak louder than words. His administration has approved $4 billion in weapons for Israel without congressional review. This decision came just before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut off all aid to Gaza, worsening the already dire humanitarian crisis. This move risks breaking the fragile ceasefire that was reached in January.
At the same time, Trump is taking a hard stance against Ukraine. He has suspended all U.S. military aid and intelligence support to Kyiv. His team claims this is a negotiation tactic to push Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into agreeing to a peace deal with Russia. This decision came shortly after a tense meeting between the two leaders at the White House.
Trump’s decision to cut military aid to Ukraine proves he can quickly halt weapons shipments when he wants to. However, he refuses to use the same strategy to pressure Israel into changing its approach to Gaza. Just like Joe Biden before him, Trump continues to supply weapons to Israel without conditions, missing a key opportunity to influence Netanyahu’s actions.
Netanyahu has shown that he responds to power and pressure. Yet Trump, despite his reputation for tough negotiations, refuses to leverage U.S. military aid to force Netanyahu into sticking to the ceasefire. Meanwhile, Netanyahu maintains strong ties with Trump, showering him with praise, unlike Zelenskyy, who has been more independent. Following the latest U.S. weapons approval, Netanyahu called Trump "the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House."
The Trump administration is also trying to take credit for massive arms deals that were actually approved in the last days of Biden’s presidency. Of the $12 billion in new U.S. weapons sent to Israel, more than $8 billion was initially authorized by Biden. These shipments include thousands of Hellfire missiles, heavy bombs, artillery shells, and other munitions. The latest batch includes over 35,000 U.S.-made "bunker buster" bombs, which cause massive destruction when used in densely populated areas.
Since Israel launched its war on Gaza after the October 7 Hamas attack, it has dropped hundreds of these bombs, leading to severe casualties. International experts warn that such attacks may constitute war crimes. A U.S.-based human rights group has even asked the International Criminal Court to investigate Biden and his top officials for aiding and abetting Israel’s alleged war crimes.
Trump, like Biden, has ignored international law when it comes to Israel. Western leaders have largely dismissed war crime allegations, allowing Netanyahu to continue his military actions without consequences. Netanyahu is now trying to alter the ceasefire terms, pushing Hamas to agree to a temporary truce without fully withdrawing Israeli troops. He faces political pressure from far-right leaders who threaten to collapse his government if he agrees to a permanent ceasefire.
Meanwhile, with Trump’s support, Netanyahu has imposed another blockade on Gaza, cutting off food, fuel, and medicine. This move violates international laws, which prohibit using starvation as a weapon of war. The International Criminal Court has already issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Israel’s former defense minister on related charges.Trump’s approach to Israel and Ukraine reveals a clear double standard. He is willing to pressure Ukraine by cutting off aid but refuses to do the same with Israel. By continuing the policies of the Biden administration, Trump risks becoming just as deeply involved in Israel’s military actions and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
