‘I don’t see any change in the man himself,’ Omer Dostri, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesman, told The Jerusalem Post at the start of an exclusive interview, when asked whether US President Donald Trump’s second term would be different from his first.
“His statements continue to show strong support for Israel. There are people in his administration who are very pro-Israel, very hawkish in our favor. We expect a sympathetic government and are happy to cooperate – we can achieve great things with him in the Middle East.”
The Post met with Dostri just days before he departed for Washington, accompanying Netanyahu for meetings with Trump and senior officials in the new administration.
Their discussions in the Oval Office are expected to cover a range of critical issues, including the ongoing ceasefire and hostage deal, Iran, normalization with Saudi Arabia, and Trump’s proposed initiative to relocate Gazans to Egypt and Jordan as part of Gaza’s reconstruction efforts.
Dostri sees this initiative as a reflection of Trump’s unpredictable nature.
“I don’t want to delve too deeply into his statements,” Dostri said, “but in all democratic countries, citizens have the right to emigrate. If we want Gaza’s population to have an opportunity to build a non-terrorist entity that respects human rights, we need to give them that option.”
The next stage of hostage talks
Israel and Hamas are set to begin negotiations on Phase Two of the hostage deal next Monday, focusing on the release of those who were not freed in the initial phase. All sides acknowledge that these discussions will be significantly more challenging, largely due to Hamas’s demand for a complete cessation of the war in exchange for the remaining hostages.
“We will agree to end the war, if Hamas says, ‘No problem, we are ready to disarm, we are ready to leave Gaza via a safe passage out,’” Dostri stated. “Our goal is for Hamas to no longer be in Gaza. If that can happen without firing a single shot, great. If not, we will resume fighting.”
However, he admitted that he does not believe Hamas will willingly release all the hostages, as it is likely to hold on to a “bargaining chip” for future leverage.
Israel’s leverage in negotiations
Following Israel’s decision to allow Palestinians from southern Gaza to return north, critics argued that Israel had lost a significant source of leverage. Dostri strongly disagrees.
“There are other forms of leverage – our greatest being the option to resume fighting,” he asserted. “We have a signed commitment from former president Joe Biden, and in a phone call, President Trump also assured Netanyahu of his support. So there’s a loaded pistol on the table, and Hamas knows it.”
At the same time, he noted that Hamas is currently interested in continuing the deal. “This allows them to project some level of control over Gaza – though I stress, it’s temporary – while also easing the pressure on the IDF.”
Dostri recalled a key moment in negotiations when Hamas delayed the release of Arbel Yehud, and Netanyahu took decisive action. “Some members of the negotiating team urged him to compromise, citing guarantees from Qatar. But Netanyahu insisted on pressing Hamas – and it worked.”
When asked whether a return to the war is inevitable, Dostri answered that he believes it will be possible to return to full-scale fighting, given the current situation. His response was unequivocal.
“Absolutely. After the first deal, people claimed the prime minister wouldn’t return to fighting, or that he wouldn’t enter Rafah. But we did. There were 1.5 million Gazans there, and we evacuated the area within a week. If Hamas violates the deal, we will resume fighting – and we will be able to evacuate the population.”
The latest hostage deal, which came after more than a year of intense fighting in Gaza, has drawn criticism from those who believe Israel made too many concessions. Is the hostage deal a failure?
“I wouldn’t call the deal a failure,” Dostri said, “but it isn’t perfect – it came at a cost.” However, he emphasized that the return of hostages remains a key priority of the security cabinet. “Once that is achieved, we will ensure that Hamas is no longer in Gaza.”
Why did Israel end up paying a higher price for this deal than for the first? the Post asked.
“In the early days of the war, Hamas was under tremendous pressure – the Biden administration and the international community were fully behind Israel,” he explained. “Since then, the Biden administration stepped back and placed pressure on Israel, giving Hamas a tailwind. Only recently have we begun reversing that trend, applying military pressure in northern Gaza, while Trump has also pressured Hamas.”
One of Biden’s most significant mistakes, Dostri argued, was the temporary halt on certain weapons shipments to Israel following the IDF’s operation in Rafah.
“I see that as a moral disgrace and a serious operational mistake,” he said. “If the goal is to eliminate Hamas in Gaza, how do you justify withholding arms from Israel?”
Iran
Besides the hostage deal, Iran is expected to be a central topic during Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump. During his campaign, Trump stated that “Israel should strike the nukes,” but just last week he expressed a preference for a diplomatic solution.
Dostri avoided going into too much detail but insisted that Netanyahu and Trump see eye to eye on Iran. “The prime minister believes the aggressive policy Trump pursued in his previous administration should be reinstated,” he said.
“War is one way to achieve our objectives. If Iran halts its nuclear ambitions without an Israeli strike, fantastic,” Dostri continued. “But we do not expect that to happen. Even if Iran claims to comply, we must remain skeptical – it could be a deception. Trump’s previous policy of ‘maximum pressure’ worked, and Israel expects to collaborate with him to restore it.”
When pressed on Trump’s remarks about seeking a diplomatic solution, Dostri acknowledged that Trump has always approached foreign policy with a “business mindset.”
“If a deal is possible, he will try to make a deal. But in the end, there’s a limit to how much diplomacy can achieve. We’ll give it a chance, but the clock is ticking. If necessary, we will act – with or without American approval.”
In the weeks following the US elections and leading up to Trump’s inauguration, concerns emerged that Iran may attempt to accelerate its nuclear program to create “facts on the ground” before Trump takes office.
Two Western officials told the Post that Biden administration officials were worried about such a scenario.
We asked Dostri whether Israel shares this concern. “It’s a very logical assessment,” he said.
“Israel has dealt severe blows to Iran’s axis of influence – in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. We have also significantly damaged Iran’s strategic air defense system, missile production capabilities, and certain components of its nuclear program. When you put all these factors together, Iran may feel cornered – and that could push them toward accelerating their nuclear ambitions.”
Dostri’s message was clear: Israel is watching closely. “Our eyes are on this constantly. And if necessary, we will know how to respond.”
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