In Israel, the 2020 White House race has taken cenre stage in local media coverage, with channels offering special programming, commentary and analysis late into the night.
Just like many other news outlets around the world, they too had been predicting a landslide victory for the Democratic candidate, Joe Biden. Just like many, they haven't been trying to hide their revulsion towards the incumbent, President Donald J. Trump.
But social media networks paint quite a different picture. On Twitter, many tweeps stayed awake during the night, watching and commenting on the results as they came in.
On for Another Term
Many are wishing to see Trump stay in office for another term.
אני מתחיל 40 יום פרק שירה להצלחתו של טראמפ
— אוריאל צייטלין (@uriel_tzaitlin) November 4, 2020
"I have already prayed twice for him this morning".
קורעים שערי שמיים..
— Yinon Avi 🇮🇱 (@Yinon_Avi1) November 4, 2020
טראמפ לניצחון🇮🇱❤🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/cSBCcStcou
"Offering a prayer. May Trump win".
טראמפ השם ישמור אותך ויתן לך את הניצחון המיוחל בזכות בית מקדשינו אמן pic.twitter.com/6yOurs6ejs
— לכו אתם ! ......ימנית אוהבת ביביביביביביבי (@pL7D1FqaohiX3fh) November 4, 2020
"Trump, may Lord protect you and will give you the victory in the name of our Temple. Amen".
These tweets are not surprising in a country where 70 percent of Israelis would like to see the current leader stays in office.
Prayers in his honour have been offered even during the pre-election campaign in Israel, rallies supporting him have taken place in a number of Israeli cities and Tel Aviv has even been decorated with banners featuring the strong bond between Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The general belief in Israel is that Trump will be good for Jews and the Jewish state. So far, this has definitely been the case.
It was he who recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moved the US embassy to the disputed city, triggering other countries to follow suit.
It was he who recognised the legality of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, who imposed sanctions on Iran and its ally Hezbollah, and who derailed Palestinian efforts to delegitimise Israel.
More importantly, however, it was also he who paved the way for historic normalisation agreements with three Muslim nations, a record for any American president.
Now, as the first results predict he has a chance to stay in office for four more years, Israeli tweeps are celebrating. Many are hopeful that his second term will bring more benefits to the Jewish state.
"I think it is safe to bet that the Orange man will be entertaining us for four more years and who knows we might even eat hummus in Riyadh," wrote a tweep, referring to reports, according to which Saudi Arabia will be yet another Muslim country to establish full relations with Israel.
נראה לי כבר סביר להמר: הג'ינג'י ימשיך לשעשע אותנו עוד ארבע שנים וגם נוכל לנגב חומוס בריאד.
— Yonatan Jakubowicz (@Yonatan_Jaku) November 4, 2020
No More Trump
Yet, there were also those, who are less optimistic about the prospect of Trump staying in power.
"Israelis who live in America and vote for Trump are idiots. Everyone who lives there are and all Trump supporters are idiots too".
ישראלים שגרים באמריקה ומצביעים לטראמפ מטומטמים כולם שם מטומטמים כל תומכי טראמפ מטומטמים
— לין | ☁️✨💅🏻🧃| lin (@linchalamet) November 4, 2020
"Trump has always done what's suitable for him. If it will be profitable for him to throw Israel under the bus, he will do so".
אני חושב שהבחירות כן משפיעות עלי. המדיניות כלפי ישראל שונה בין הרפובליקנים לדמוקרטים
— Tom Harel (@Hewit86_TH) November 4, 2020
"We are living in a stupid world if a person like Donald Trump gets re-elected. I have nothing more to say about this".
אנחנו חיים בעולם מטומטם בו בן אדם כמו דונלד טראמפ כנראה זוכה בקדנציה שנייה.
— alejandro helman (@elchayen) November 4, 2020
לא יודע מה לומר יותר מזה.
Apart from harbouring little sympathy for his blunt and provocative manner of speaking, Israel's liberal circles have slammed the president for a number of his policies in the Middle East, saying that in the long-run, the irrational decisions he took could bring havoc to the region.
In July, for example, Israeli media accused him of turning the US into an "irrelevant" mediator with the PA, after Washington took an obvious pro-Israel stance, recognised Jerusalem, cut $200 million in assistance to the Palestinians and decided to shut down their mission in the American capital.
That irrelevance has also been observed with Iran after the decision to leave the JCPOA deal, preferring to impose sanctions on the Islamic Republic rather than sitting down for talks; and it has been felt in Syria, when the US pulled out most of its personnel from the war-battered country, letting in other players like Turkey and Russia, run the show.
Even the historic peace deal with the UAE has been treated with skepticism in Israel's liberal circles, primarily because it presupposed the supply of F-35 fighter jets to the Gulf country, something that the Jewish state, which also receives that equipment, has tried to avoid.
Similar concerns are also voiced about other Muslim nations that are set to join the pro-Israel club in exchange for monetary or military benefits. The Israelis who support the President, however, don't seem to be bothered.
For them, Trump will always remain the most pro-Israel president, the bond with whom has to be cherished.
המתח הורג....
— שרי צדוק אזולאי🇺🇸🇮🇱🇦🇪🇧🇭 (@sari_azoulay) November 4, 2020
אבל בטוחה שהקב"ה לא יפקיר אותנו !!!
תמשיכו להתפלל למען טראמפ שלנו ❤ pic.twitter.com/stu3SXWj4W
"The suspense is killing. But I am sure that Lord will not neglect us. Please keep up prayers for our Trump".
