• Speaking Trump’s language: Dermer has played the role of “Trump whisperer” – during both this term and the president’s first – often using golf analogies (“Peace with the Saudis is a 30-foot putt … Peace with the Palestinians is a hole-in-one through a brick wall”). Less than a week after Trump’s November 2024 victory, Dermer sat down with him, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff at Mar-a-Lago for an hours-long session, mapping out plans for a new Middle East. Dermer “was such a well-known and respected figure among all the people there, so it was easy for him to initiate,” said Yaki Dayan, an Israeli diplomat.
• Bibi’s brain: Netanyahu trusts few people; those perceived as political threats or potential successors are pushed out. Netanyahu liked that Dermer had no political ambitions or voter base in Israel. The pair never had a falling-out, and some people close to them say Netanyahu sees their relationship as that of a father and son. Dermer’s fealty to Netanyahu was extraordinary from the start. “Ron always used to say, ‘I have a constituency of one,’” said a former Israeli official. “Ron really believes in his kishkes that he wants to serve the Jewish people.” And the best path toward that has been sticking with Netanyahu.
• The Israeli public “received a gift’ in Dermer: “I saw what he did,” said Shas chairman Arye Deri, another of Netanyahu’s very few long-time confidants. “He has been focused on the Iranian issue for 25 years. From the moment Donald Trump was re-elected, Dermer was on a mission. He worked with Steve Witkoff, Marco Rubio, the president, the vice president – everyone – and they all respect him. Ron Dermer is God’s messenger.”
• From concessions to total victory: In February 2025, Dermer inherited a poisoned chalice: the hostage release/Gaza ceasefire talks. He shifted strategy, linking hostage returns more firmly to Hamas’s defeat and Gaza’s demilitarization, thwarting terror’s leverage – and linking that to the “Formula of the Century” involving Saudi normalization. He faced intense pressure from hostage families (who protested outside his home); but in the end earned their grudging gratitude. He also played the leading role in getting last-minute changes to Trump’s 20-point plan that favored Israel and angered Arab officials who had committed to backing it.
• The “Day After” vision & de-radicalization: Dermer believes the Oslo process fundamentally failed by ignoring Palestinian societal incitement against Israel and Jews. He sees the post-war period in Gaza as a crucial opportunity for a “restart,” requiring not just demilitarization but long-term de-radicalization of the population, comparing it to post-WWII Germany and Japan. He advocates linking Gaza’s reconstruction directly to this de-radicalization process, potentially involving regional partners like Saudi Arabia and the UAE in establishing new governance and educational systems.
• Abraham Accords & Saudi normalization: A key architect of the original Abraham Accords, Dermer remains focused on expanding normalization, particularly with Saudi Arabia. He believes the strategic conditions (strong Israel, weakened Iran, close U.S.-Israel ties under Trump) favor expansion, especially as he believes Trump won’t give Palestinians a veto over the process. However, he acknowledges the Gaza war complicates timing, with Saudi Arabia needing to see fighting “in the rearview mirror” before finalizing a deal.
• Strengthening the U.S.-Israel alliance: Dermer sees the joint Iran operation and the broader war solidifying Israel’s role as America’s most critical strategic partner – an “unsinkable aircraft carrier” (quoting Alexander Haig) vital for U.S. security, projecting power, and enabling the U.S. pivot to Asia. He argues Israel’s growing importance in security, intelligence and technology makes the alliance crucial for U.S. interests, creating the potential for a new U.S.-led regional security architecture with Israel at its core.

“History will remember Dermer for what he has done – for his role in reshaping Israel’s alliances, keeping the country secure and expanding our ties in the Middle East,” said Yaakov Katz, a former editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post and a Netanyahu critic. “The noise of the moment will fade, but the record of his service won’t.”