Mr. Trump is suddenly praised as a "great protector"

US Vice President Mike Pence called President Donald Trump the greatest defender of Israel in history. Photo: AP

In a brief speech at an Israeli embassy event marking the 70th anniversary of the proclamation of the Jewish State in Washington, Mr. Pence said that President Trump had done more to bring the United States and Israel “closer together in just one year than any president in the past 70 years.”

The US Vice President affirmed: “President Trump is the greatest defender of the Jewish State ever.” However, in his speech, Mr. Pence did not mention the violence in the Gaza Strip border area.

The White House is “prepared to support a peace deal in any way we can,” Pence said.

“We believe peace is possible,” he stressed. “While any peace agreement requires compromise, under the Trump administration, the United States will never compromise the safety and security of the State of Israel.”

Clashes broke out between Palestinian protesters led by the Hamas Islamist movement and Israeli security forces at the Gaza Strip border on May 14. Photo: AFP

Ahead of Mr Pence’s speech, Israeli ambassador Ron Dermer described the US embassy move to Jerusalem as “a small step towards peace and a giant leap towards truth”.

The statement was made after the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem, a move in line with Mr. Trump's 2016 presidential campaign platform and Israel's long-standing desire for international recognition of Jerusalem as its capital.

However, this decision of the US has met with fierce opposition from Palestine. Clashes took place between Palestinian protesters led by the Islamic movement Hamas and Israeli security forces at the border area of ​​the Gaza Strip on May 14, killing nearly 60 Palestinians and injuring thousands, showing that there are still many difficulties ahead while the White House strives to pursue a peace agreement./.