Amid airtight security, Trump visit brings hope of 'historic gains' in the Middle East

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Sara Netanyahu and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcome President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump to Israel Monday.

By Adam Abrams/JNS.org

In Jerusalem Sunday, as the city prepared to mark the 50th anniversary of its reunification, the airtight security arrangements for President Donald Trump's visit the next day meant Israel's capital felt more like a city under siege than in the midst of a celebration. Despite Trump stoking Israeli fears by signing an arms deal with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states this past weekend, many officials and experts saw Trump's Israel trip as a new opportunity. "The burgeoning ties between Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other countries of the Gulf with Israel represents the greatest opportunity for regional advancement....the potential for historic gains have never been greater in this regard," said Dr. Jonathan Schanzer, senior vice president of research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.