It seems that US President Donald Trump has learned a new magic word: “Israel.” He uses it whenever he has difficulty explaining an unpopular move Washington makes in the Middle East. Therefore, when journalists badgered him Tuesday with questions about Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, despite the Khashoggi affair, he avoided the question and addressed Israel instead. “Israel will be in great trouble without Saudi Arabia,” Trump said. It was a strange statement, to say the least.

Furthermore, in an interview he gave to the Washington Post this week, Trump explained his decision to maintain the presence of American troops in Syria by attributing it to concern for Israel’s security.

In both instances, Israel is indeed part of the American set of considerations, but not the sole or even the primary consideration. Trump and his family are connected to bin Salman, and the United States rakes in huge sums of money when Saudi Arabia purchases American weapons. The rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Israel is only the cherry on top, not the main course.

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