On Israel, Democrats should praise Trump

Related Video: Hard Work For Peace In Gaza Ahead Following Return Of Living Hostages

In December of 1983, the Rev. Jesse Jackson went to Syria to seek the release of an American airman who had been shot down there. That went against the wishes of President Ronald Reagan, who thought Jackson was grandstanding to jump-start his own campaign for the White House. Reagan also feared that Jackson's intercession might cause the Syrians to dig in their heels or even to harm Navy Lieutenant Robert O. Goodman Jr., the captured airman.

But Jackson succeeded, persuading Syrian dictator Hafez al-Assad to free Goodman. An elated Reagan called Jackson to thank him. And when a journalist asked Reagan if Jackson had "done a good job," Reagan didn't hesitate in his reply: yes.

"You don't quarrel with success," Reagan said, eliciting laughter from the pool of reporters surrounding him.

The quip generated good press for Reagan, because it showed that he cared more about Goodman's fate than he did about scoring points against a political rival. And that's precisely why my fellow Democrats should be praising President Trump for helping win a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of 20 Israeli hostages, who made a triumphant return this week..

Alas, we just can't bring ourselves to do it. Trump' s opponents lauded the cease-fire, of course, but most of them refrained from congratulating him for it. "I don't want to give credit right now," Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said. "We have given, as a nation, billions and billions of dollars under Biden and Trump to starve children in Gaza. I'm not talking about credit."

That makes Democrats look churlish and small. And it fuels a common right-wing narrative that we suffer from "Trump Derangement Syndrome," which causes us to exaggerate his failures and downplay his successes.

And make no mistake: Trump has already scored a huge success in the Middle East conflict. It's much too early to say whether the cease-fire will hold, of course, or whether Trump's plan for reconstructing Gaza will work. But he was able to do something that eluded Joe Biden and many other American leaders. 

Put simply, Trump forced Israel's hand. For the past two years, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has demanded the total destruction of Hamas — which attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 — as a condition for a cease-fire. But after his ill-advised effort to assassinate Hamas leaders in Qatar, Trump brought the hammer down on him.

Trump made Netanyahu apologize to the Qataris, who joined other Arab states in bringing pressure on Hamas. Now the guns have gone silent in Gaza, and the hostages have come home.

And if — like Sanders — you don't think Trump deserves credit for this, just listen to the Israelis. Trump received a hero's welcome when he arrived in Israel on Monday to address the Knesset, Israel's national legislature. Supporters chanted "Trump! Trump!" and hoisted a huge "thank you" sign on a Tel Aviv beach, featuring Trump's likeness.

With typical bombast, Trump told the Knesset that the cease-fire signaled "the historic dawn of a new Middle East." And he urged the Israeli president to pardon Netanyahu, who has been accused of accepting luxury gifts in exchange for political favors. "Cigars and champagne, who the hell cares about that," Trump said.

That speaks volumes about our own ethically challenged president, who has eagerly exploited his office to enrich his hotel and crypto fortunes. And don't get me started on the Nobel Peace Prize, which Trump has openly coveted. If you dispatch National Guard troops to American cities — against the wishes of their elected officials — you can't expect to win the world's highest peace-making award.

But none of that should take away from what Trump accomplished on the diplomatic front this month. We Democrats should be able to criticize Trump for the National Guard deployments — and for his assaults on universities, his cuts to Medicaid and everything else — and also acknowledge his achievement in the Middle East.

That's called walking and chewing gum at the same time. And fortunately, we have a few Democratic leaders who know how to do it.

Consider former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who argued that our attacks on Trump would land more solidly if we also praised his occasional good works. "Trump deserves credit," Emanuel flatly stated. "If you want to get heard on your criticism, you give a compliment and then you'll be heard."

It also makes you look good, as Ronald Reagan understood. A week after blasting Jesse Jackson for gong to Syria to seek the release of Goodman, Reagan hosted both men and their families at the White House. Applauding Jackson's "personal mission of mercy," Reagan said the Democratic presidential candidate "has earned our gratitude and our admiration."

So has President Trump. You don't quarrel with success. Democrats need to learn that lesson, very soon, if they want to persuade voters about his failures. And, I hope, win some elections.

Jonathan Zimmerman teaches education and history at the University of Pennsylvania and serves on the advisory board of the Albert Lepage Center for History in the Public Interest.