By Rabbi Avi Weiss, JNS
This is a chance to help Israel eliminate Iran's nuclear threat once and for all.
When President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to hail the Israeli Air Force’s daring strikes over Tehran, he declared, “We cleared the skies.” That’s a mighty generous “we.” If Trump truly wants to be part of the “we,” then he must act by supplying Israel the means to eliminate Iran’s deeply buried nuclear facilities at the Fordow enrichment facility.
Such a move wouldn’t just serve Israel; it would serve America and, for that matter, the entire free world.
Israel’s 1981 and 2007 strikes on nuclear sites in Iraq and Syria, which the United States opposed at the time, have since been vindicated as crucial preemptive actions. Trump now has the chance to correct past American hesitation once and for all by putting an end to the Iranian nuclear threat.
Iran’s genocidal intent toward Israel is not speculative. It has been declared and repeated. The only barrier between Iran’s rockets and the mass slaughter of civilians is Israel’s advanced air-defense system—a system made possible in large part by America’s strong support. If not for it, thousands of missiles would have rained down, triggering an unspeakable humanitarian catastrophe.
And yet, even with clear control over Tehran’s skies and the capability to inflict massive damage at the heart of the city, Israel has held its fire, choosing restraint to avoid civilian casualties. Israel is a nation with a moral compass. Iran, by contrast, aims its weapons at children and hospitals without a flicker of conscience.
Israel is a frontline defender of Western values. It has, for all practical purposes, eliminated Hezbollah, degraded Hamas, helped rid Syria of Bashar Assad’s brutal reign, and now directly challenges Iran’s hegemonic ambitions. In so doing, it hasn’t just secured its own borders but has contributed mightily to America and the free world.
Israel doesn’t ask for U.S. troops. It doesn’t want American soldiers fighting its wars. What it asks for is military support to fight its own battles. Yes, that aid has amounted to billions; however, in return, Israel has been America’s Iron Dome in the Middle East. When Israel dismantles Iranian nuclear ambitions, it protects not only Tel Aviv, but also New York, London and every democracy Iran threatens.
There are rare moments that define the course of history—moments that demand not just words, but bold and decisive action. This is one of those moments.
The ball is in the president’s court. If he seeks a place in history not only as a voice but as a visionary who reshaped the future, this is his chance to help Israel eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat once and for all. It would mark a historic victory not only for Israel but for the United States and the free world.
