ByZVIKA KLEIN

JUNE 22, 2026 16:22

Updated: JUNE 22, 2026 17:09

Mr. President, I pen these words in an attempt to grasp what you seek from us, your former strongest backers in the Holy Land.

An open letter to the president of the United States:

Dear President Trump,

Endless discussion fills Israel at present. It reaches us via broadcasts, at the Sabbath table, and through conversations with relatives and acquaintances, while Americans also inquire about the matter.

What has changed with you? Where stands the president most supportive of Israel in our history? For years you stood by us while casual supporters departed. Now, when we follow the reports, you appear as another individual, another leader, and truthfully, we cannot determine what we did to merit this shift.

You finalized an agreement with Iran, Israel's longstanding adversary, offering Tehran concessions we never imagined an American president would consider. This arrangement instructs us to withdraw from the sole frontier where our troops continue to fall.

The protection of our young ones remains absolute

Moreover, you permitted Pakistan to oversee the discussions. This week, representatives from America, Iran, and Pakistan convened to shape the destiny of southern Lebanon. That region forms our northern boundary, where our children stand guard to shield us. It marks the path Hezbollah uses to reach our young.

I strive repeatedly to interpret this situation, yet I fail. How can Iran and Pakistan influence whether a household in the Galilee rests peacefully, while we receive directives to depart?

Perhaps I grasp a portion of it. You operate through personal connections. When one sours, the surrounding elements cool as well. Should you have reached your limit with Prime Minister Netanyahu, note that you would not stand alone in that view, and the issue rests between you both.

Yet please consider this point: The bond between our nations exceeds any single prime minister. It surpasses a strained conversation. Ten million residents here never endorsed that arrangement. We are not part of your disagreement with Bibi. Refrain from holding all of us accountable for one strained relationship.

We recognize the realities involved. You possess your motivations, some unrelated to our situation. An election approaches. Fuel prices rose then fell. Sustaining support for a prolonged conflict proves difficult domestically. We understand this fully.

I compose this not to criticize you, nor will I claim Israel presents an effortless case for defense currently. I seek only to convey the prevailing sentiment here. Your updates likely omit this perspective.

Israel remembers the positive actions you took for its citizens

Your vice president voiced the bluntest assessment directed at us in recent times. He identified you as the sole global leader who retains concern for Israel. The statement proved difficult to accept, and perhaps it was necessary.

Still, it caused pain, as direct observations often do. For if he speaks accurately, and I believe he does, then we find ourselves isolated once more, seeking guidance and awaiting deliverance. That deliverance, yet again, depends on you. A single individual.

This realization heightens our concern. When only one ally remains and that person begins to distance themselves, policy labels lose meaning. The sensation alone registers.

We have not overlooked your contributions on our behalf. We shall not, and history would intervene if we did.

You facilitated the hostages' return when many among us had ceased expecting it.

You relocated the embassy to Jerusalem and affirmed the city's status as ours.

You established the Abraham Accords from scratch and provided us with neighboring partners where adversaries once stood.

We represent a nation repeatedly disappointed by others across extended periods. We have developed resilience and adapted to criticism, yet not from you. You executed actions rather than merely discussing them. This accounts for the depth of the current distress. Such feelings do not arise toward an unfamiliar party.

Recognize this clearly: We are not a nation denouncing you. We are a nation perplexed and sincerely saddened, attempting to interpret a friend who has grown distant.

We do not request that you engage in or finance our conflicts. We seek no unconditional support. We ask only that you state plainly what you require from us, since it remains absent from official remarks, and we tire of speculation.

Israel requires your involvement. I state this without embellishment. Many here sense neglect at present. Some perceive abandonment by the one figure they trusted would not act so.

We have journeyed without direction previously. We prefer to avoid repeating that experience and instead succeed with you alongside us.

In friendship and appreciation,

Zvika Klein

Jerusalem