Senior foreign policy expert Harley Lippman speaks with Arutz Sheva about how Israel can ensure continued American support for the war with Hamas.
Foreign policy expert Harley Lippman spoke with Arutz Sheva – Israel National News today about his visit to Israel in the wake of Operation Rising Lion.
“There’s a lot going on now in the Middle East,” he said. “I’ve never been more hopeful in my lifetime that we may be able to bring in other Arab and even Muslim — not Arab, but Muslim — nations into either the Abraham Accords or something similar.”
With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu preparing to meet President Donald Trump in Washington next week, Lippman reflected on US goals and Israeli challenges. “Everybody wants the war ended,” he said. “But the way conflicts are resolved in history is one side loses and surrenders and gives up. And that’s how you have closure.”
Regarding Hamas and Iran, he added: “Israel has performed extraordinarily militarily — as well as the United States, and secured probably one of the most remarkable military outcomes in modern history, and it’s not over.”
Lippman warned against underestimating adversaries, even in the wake of battlefield success. “There are three rules of warfare: Never underestimate your enemy. Never hold them in contempt. And never think they can’t recover from disaster,” he emphasized.
He drew historical parallels: “In ’67, six years later the Arab world came back with better equipment and better technology. In the ’73 war, they had night vision goggles. Israel didn’t. So even after one of the biggest military victories in the annals of mankind, Israel was surprised and was being defeated in the early stages of the war.”
“Same thing here,” Lippman warned. “While Israel has done extremely well, it’s not over. Iran is going to be creative. Maybe they can’t even fire missiles, but they’ll think of other ways. They’re seething with revenge.”
He addressed the psychological shift post-October 7 and cautioned against returning to denial. “When bad people say they’re going to do bad things to Jews, believe them. It’s arrogance on our part to think we know better what they mean than their own words,” he said. “Hamas was saying they want to kill every Jew. And we’re thinking, oh no, they want to govern. That’s arrogance.”
While acknowledging Israelis’ desire for a return to normalcy, Lippman stressed: “The danger is right now maybe people are aware, but people drift into complacency. You can’t just mow the lawn.”
Asked what message Netanyahu should deliver if pressured by Trump to “end the war,” Lippman’s response was emphatic: “Answer fiercely: ‘Then let me win it.'”
“Hamas has to either leave on safe passage like the PLO did in southern Lebanon in 1982, or they have to be defeated with a surrender. If they don’t, they’re going to claim a huge victory,” he explained. “To them, survival is victory. There’s no substitute for victory if you want closure. That’s what the history of the world has taught us.”
Lippman discussed Israel’s approach to Hezbollah in Lebanon as a possible model, but with caution: “Israel can weaken or most likely destroy Hezbollah – they’re weakened today. But you can’t look at it statically.”
“Tactically, it’s brilliant what they did,” he added, “but what happens next? Israel has to articulate a clear strategy. They’ve been brilliant with tactics, but what’s the long-term strategy?”
Lippman expressed confidence in Trump’s friendship with Israel but recognized the limits of alignment. “President Trump is an extraordinary friend of Israel. I don’t think Israel has ever had a friend like President Trump, and may never have,” he said. “But remember also, that’s for another three and a half years.”
“He’s a true friend. He’s shown courage. But keep in mind, he is doing what is in America’s best interest. And what Israel is doing is in Israel’s best interest. And while it should always be aligned, it may not always be.”
He also cautioned against dependency: “If Israel wants to be the master of their own ship, they have to be self-sufficient. You don’t want a situation where they’re needy and dependent, because then that other party has leverage.”
On shifting attitudes within the US and the Republican Party regarding foreign involvement, Lippman said: “America is tired of wars. So there’s this overreaction where they don’t want another ‘endless war.’”
Still, he stressed that confronting Iran remains in America’s own strategic interest: “Taking out Iran’s nuclear facilities is in America’s best interest. Trump’s flag is non-proliferation, which is the most noble cause.”
Concluding his visit, Lippman reflected warmly on his time in Israel: “I love coming. How can you not love being here?” he said. “We’ll be back again soon.”
