What Israelis noticed first was that Trump followed Netanyahu into the White House press briefing, not the other way around. That gesture, which set the tone of the event, signaled that unlike former President Barack Obama, Trump sees Israel as a sovereign nation entitled to shape its own future and borders as it sees fit.

And Trump backed that gesture with his words: “The United States again reaffirms our unbreakable bond with our cherished ally, Israel…The State of Israel is a symbol to the world of resilience in the face of oppression…Your perseverance in the face of hostility, your open democracy in the face of violence, and your success in the face of tall odds is truly inspirational.”

The Iran nuclear agreement that marked the height of the crisis between Netanyahu and Obama is in the eyes of Trump “one of the worst deals I’ve ever seen.” Trump similarly rebuked Obama’s hostile farewell to Israel, when the US backed an anti-settlement resolution...

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