NB:<\/strong> There\u2019s regulatory issues. We would like to expand the reforms I\u2019ve introduced, basically opening up the regulations in Israel to allow products from Europe to come in directly to Israel. We want to expand that. And whatever is good for the United States is good for Israel. We\u2019re expanding the regulation side.<\/p>\nWe have some ideas on how to shift some purchases and acquisitions from other places in the world to the United States to decrease the trade deficit between the two countries. We\u2019re happy to do that. And a couple of other recommendations or proposals are on the table. Some of them are a mutual understanding of how to look at this as an opportunity.<\/p>\n
On top of that, I\u2019m going to be proposing a lot of business development between the two countries. Not just trade. And how can we make one plus one equal three between Israel and the United States and other countries as well?<\/p>\n
The United States is the biggest trade partner that Israel has, it\u2019s a very special relationship, and we want to maintain that mutual approach of collaboration between the two countries.<\/p>\n
FP:<\/strong> The Trump administration directly negotiated with Hamas for the release of Edan Alexander. Is that concerning to the Israeli government?<\/p>\nNB:<\/strong> Every release of every hostage is good. We\u2019re thankful. We hug Edan, and we\u2019re really, really happy to see him home. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s prudent to discuss the details of a release here and a release there. Strategically, Israel is totally aligned with the United States. We\u2019re all together, we understand, and we are very thankful to the Trump administration for the huge support we get. For the veto power in the U.N., and for the supplies, and the major, major support Israel receives from the United States. So we\u2019re very thankful, and we\u2019re happy for every release of every hostage that is captured now and is still under the dungeons of the evilness of Hamas.<\/p>\nFP:<\/strong> Are you at all concerned that the ongoing blockade on aid will also harm the hostages and will make it harder for them to get the assistance they need?<\/p>\nNB: <\/strong>I think the world recognizes that the way they\u2019re treated in the tunnels\u2014they\u2019re not treated as human beings. No Red Cross, no light, no sun, a terrible situation. Some of them are brutally beaten. This is totally, totally unacceptable what is happening to them.<\/p>\nAnd [it\u2019s] one of the reasons to put pressure on Hamas to swiftly surrender. That\u2019s what we need to do. The Israeli government believes that making Hamas surrender and bringing the hostages [home] are two complementary goals that must be completed hopefully in the near future. And that\u2019s why the Israeli army recruited the reservists and we are eager to get in and to finish the job and to bring all the hostages back.<\/p>\n
The two rounds of releasing hostages in the past was while the Israeli army was maneuvering in Gaza. When there\u2019s pressure on Hamas, they come to the table and do deals. So we believe that this is the right thing to do, and we want to end this as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n
FP:<\/strong> The United States and the Houthis recently reached a cease-fire agreement, even though the Iran-backed group vowed to continue striking Israel. Was the Israeli government blindsided by this deal?<\/p>\nNB:<\/strong> I think that the Americans are focusing on American interests, and we\u2019re focusing on Israeli interests. The majority of the time, they are totally aligned. We know how to deal with the Houthis, and we demonstrated that just a while ago. They\u2019re continuing firing at Israel, including today, and they will pay a heavy price until they stop.<\/p>\nBy the way, I want to add one more thing here, which is my personal opinion of how to deal with this. And that is to adopt the strategy of [U.S.] President [John F.] Kennedy at the time of the Cuban missile crisis, where he said to the Soviet Union that a missile coming from Cuba at American cities will be answered with a missile on Moscow.<\/p>\n
And from my perspective, a missile from Lebanon and any other proxy, including of course the Houthis, on Israel\u2014Tehran should be attacked. If we don\u2019t sleep good at night, they in Tehran will not sleep good [at] night. And I think the time is ready for Iran to start paying. They have a big open bill with us.<\/p>\n
And I think it\u2019s time to implement the strategy of targeting Iran, making sure they pay a heavy price for what they\u2019ve done. They have a lot of blood on their hands. And it\u2019s very clear to me that it\u2019s not just making sure that they do not have a nuclear bomb, but it\u2019s also making sure they pay a heavy price for their conventional targeting and fighting against Israel.<\/p>\n
FP: <\/strong>Trump on Thursday said the United States and Iran are \u201cvery close\u201d to reaching a new agreement over Iran\u2019s nuclear program. The administration has sent mixed signals over whether or not it would allow Iran to continue enriching uranium for civilian purposes. Is Israel concerned about the Trump administration\u2019s approach to this and the potential for sanctions to be lifted on Iran?<\/p>\nNB:<\/strong> Well, we have our interests in Israel. We will not take any risk on Iran. We don\u2019t trust them. They will tell the world whatever they need to tell to gain time, to detract attention.\u00a0So the United States is negotiating. And if and when we understand that the goal has been reached with respect to not having a nuclear bomb\u2014call me again. But at this point, we do not trust the Iranian regime, and we believe that their goal has not changed. And they\u2019re trying to fool the world. We will never be fooled. We believe them, and we will fight them until they drop their weapon and stop trying to create a bomb.<\/p>\nFP: <\/strong>Trump this week seemed to even surprise some of his own officials by announcing he was completely lifting sanctions on Syria. Based on public statements from the Israeli government and recent Israeli military activities, Israel is clearly concerned about the new Syrian government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa. Was it the right call for Trump to lift sanctions on Syria at this moment?<\/p>\nNB:<\/strong> We\u2019re observing the new leadership of Syria. If you look in retrospect, in their past\u2014they\u2019re terrorists. The key question is, how will they act in the future and in the near future? And it\u2019s still up in the air. We want to make sure that they are friendly. We want to make sure that we manage the risk associated with Syria carefully. We want to make sure that our partners or people that we care about, the Druze and the Kurds, are secure and safe.<\/p>\nBeyond that, if we find that they\u2019re serious and committed to join the Abraham Accords\u2014Israel\u2019s doors [are] always open. But we just want to make sure that it\u2019s real and we\u2019re not fooled by the terrorist new regime in Syria.<\/p>\n
FP:<\/strong> What would you say to those who think that Trump has been deliberately bypassing Israel and Netanyahu on an array of issues, like Syria, the hostage release, and Iran negotiations? Do you think this is deliberate?<\/p>\nNB:<\/strong> I think we\u2019re best friends and we\u2019re well aligned. We are very thankful for the support we get. Basically, what we\u2019re saying is that there may be differences in vision and opinions and interest between the two countries, but that will not deter us from a deep understanding of the relationship we have with the administration. Trump\u2019s administration has moved from being restraining to supportive, and I think that that\u2019s very fruitful and helpful for Israel.<\/p>\nAgain, we\u2019ll see how things develop. But it\u2019s certainly OK that we have some differences of approach, but strategically the bond between Israel and the United States is as strong as it ever was, and I believe it\u2019s going to continue this way.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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