Israel’s One Man Foreign Ministry
Translated and reprinted with permission from Matzav Ruach
Knesset Member Ohad Tal and House Speaker Mike Johnson
For the past year, quietly and behind the scenes, Knesset Member Ohad Tal, chairman of the Israel-US Relations Caucus, has been operating as a one-man foreign ministry. He meets with US government officials, parliament members, leaders, and ambassadors from around the world. He is a sought-after interviewee in leading media outlets and actively works on the international stage to change policies towards Israel and for an Israeli victory in the ongoing conflict.
Since the outbreak of the war, the IDF has been operating on multiple fronts simultaneously: against Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in the north, the Houthis in the south, and Iranian proxies in Iraq, Syria, and other locations in the east. However, alongside the military campaign, there is a complex and equally challenging diplomatic battle taking place behind the scenes.
In recent months, we have been exposed to the gaps and disputes between Israel and the US on issues such as the IDF entry into Rafah, conditions for a ceasefire, and weapons shipments. The legal battle against Israel in the Hague and the decisions against Israel at the UN are ongoing. The truth must be said: Israel is not acting sufficiently in this arena, let alone in the advocacy front in international media.
Knesset Member Ohad Tal on “Washington Watch with Tony Perkins.”
Into this vacuum stepped Knesset Member Ohad Tal from the Religious Zionism party, who entered Knesset in the last elections. He is a member of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and also serves as the chairman of a committee dealing with economic issues. The 20 years before his political career were dedicated to education and strengthening Jewish identity in Israel and the diaspora. Tal’s last role was Secretary-General of World Bnei Akiva, and before that, he served as Deputy Director of World Mizrachi. In these roles, he visited many countries and established connections that now assist him in his diplomatic activities.
In the past year, MK Tal has met in Washington with House Speaker Mike Johnson, National Security Council and White House Spokesman Admiral John Kirby, dozens of Senators and Congress members, as well as ambassadors and parliament members from Australia, Singapore, Sweden, Hungary, Guatemala, the UAE, and more.
“The discourse and media analysis in Israel of all issues related to our relations with other countries, especially with the US, is very superficial,” Tal remarked in a conversation with ‘Matzav Haruach.’ “For the past year, we have not stopped hearing studio panelists lamenting the crisis in Israel-US relations. But what exactly is America? Unlike here in Israel, there is a very significant separation of powers there. The Congress, House of Representatives, and Senate are completely separate from the President and government members. Many times, it is possible to influence American policy through Congress rather than through the administration. There is also the American public, which in every poll in recent months since the beginning of the war, despite all the slander and misinformation they receive from the media, stands overwhelmingly by Israel’s side.”
So, we have no disagreements with the Americans?
“I didn’t say that. Of course, there are. But we need to understand that things are much more complex, and that Israel can act wisely within the American mechanisms to influence government decisions, even when there are disagreements, and bring them closer to our positions. For example, I acted on the issue of the International Criminal Court, which was reported to be considering issuing arrest warrants against senior Israeli officials. I approached eleven Congress members who signed a letter to President Biden, demanding sanctions on the ICC if it acted in this manner. Since then, those Congressional members have advanced legislation that passed in the House of Representatives requiring the administration to impose personal and institutional sanctions on the ICC, and now the legislation awaits Senate approval. It is possible to apply internal pressure levers and change American policy.”
What is our main problem currently in managing relations with the US?
I would divide it into two main parts – presence and messaging. We must honestly admit that our presence in Washington is lacking. Unfortunately, as the Prime Minister himself said a few weeks ago, Israel does not have enough people who know America, who speak English well enough, and who can also explain our position to the Americans in a way they can understand. But the bigger problem, in my opinion, is that we are not clarifying to our friends around the world the policy we are seeking.”
Maybe it’s because there are real disagreements here in Israel about the future policy we would like to see?
“You’re right. And yet, we can at least identify the things on which there is broad agreement among the Israeli public. In the first months of the war, in all my visits to Washington, I came to meetings with two main messages.
“First, Israel expects the US to support the war efforts until the complete defeat of Hamas and the return of all hostages; we must not stop before the mission is completed, and this is also an absolute American interest.
“Second, contrary to voices in some corridors of power that have unfortunately increased since, this war must not end with a political move that results in the establishment or recognition of a Palestinian state. That would be a clear reward for terrorism, and the ones who will pay the price will be America no less than Israel.”
And Americans don’t understand this?
“You need to understand Americans. The Western way of thinking is that when you have a disagreement with someone, you sit down to talk and reach a compromise. You won’t get everything you want, and he won’t get everything he wants, but in the end, you’ll compromise.
“Therefore, even our best friends in Congress have gotten used to seeing the ‘two-state solution’ as the only viable political plan. I talk to them about how promoting this plan means a clear and present danger to the very existence of the State of Israel. It means that an Iranian advance base will be established in the heart of our country, with all the accompanying implications. And after the horrific massacre on October 7, the message that the US will send by doing so is one of weakness that will encourage radical Islam around the world to increase its use of terrorism to achieve its goals.”
It’s not enough to speak English. One must speak American.
Knesset Member Ohad Tal is very active in the important arena of American media. He is frequently interviewed on channels that reach millions of viewers. “We must have influence from the bottom up,” said Tal. “In the US, public opinion has a decisive influence on elected officials and Congress members. I work with the media to motivate Congress members to act on behalf of Israel.”
In addition to influencing decision-makers, Knesset Member Tal gives speeches at conferences and Israel rallies. “It’s not enough to speak English. One must speak American. This is a skill I have acquired, and I use nuance and subtleties to speak to the heart to influence the public for our benefit.”
Why should the Americans change their ways of thinking and suddenly accept our logic?
I suggest they look at the issue from a broader perspective. This war is not just between Israel and Hamas or Hezbollah, the story is much bigger. It is a battle between the Eastern alliance of Iran, China, and Russia against the Western world led by the US. I presented Congress members with a video of the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in Israel, Sheikh Raed Salah, who was asked a few weeks ago what will happen in Gaza ‘the day after.’ Saleh responded that this was not the right question; the question should be, what will happen in the US the day after!
“Our enemies want to dismantle America. In Tehran, they burn American flags every day and chant ‘Death to Israel, Death to America.’ For them, we are just the ‘little Satan,’ and America is the ‘great Satan.’ We are just the front line, so when the Americans send us arms shipments, it’s not a favor they are doing us; we are literally fighting their war.
Suppose you managed to convince America, what about the rest of the world?
“This logic is understood by more and more leaders and countries in the Middle East. The Abraham Accords were born precisely from the understanding that the real threat to world peace is Iran and its allies, and that Israel is part of the solution, not the problem.
“The amazing thing is that despite all the statements made by those leaders regarding Iran and the Palestinians, at the critical moment, on the night of the Iranian missile attack on Israel, when all those countries had to decide which side they were on – Israel or Iran, they all stood by Israel and helped us, in ways that cannot be detailed, to repel the Iranian attack.
“Nevertheless, in Europe and other places, Israel’s situation is much more difficult and complex. We have many challenges, but as it says in Ethics of our Fathers, Pirkei Avot, ‘’It is not your duty to complete the job, but neither are you free to desist from it.’ I think that in the coming years we will see significant changes in the attitude of many countries towards Israel. We are already seeing the awakening that is beginning in some European countries.”
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