For some in the incoming US administration, according to Elie Pieprz, “a Palestinian state is an absolute red line.”

By Israel Hayom via JNS

In less than a month, the second Trump administration will take office in Washington. In Israel, numerous people are appearing in the media pretending to be close with the president-elect and his team.

However, you can count on one hand those who are actually just one text message away from future senior American Cabinet members. Among these select few is Elie Pieprz, 52, a political consultant who grew up in the U.S. and immigrated to Israel. For the first time, and likely the last, he agreed to share his story.

We met opposite the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem in Mishkenot Sha’ananim, where he, his wife, Judith, (a psychologist by profession), and their daughters have lived in recent years. An emotional connection to the historic neighborhood brought them here.

In interviews with media outlets worldwide, Pieprz doesn’t discuss his activities but rather explains what is happening in Israel.

“I prefer to work behind the scenes,” he said.

However, looking back at Pieprz’s career reveals that in many cases, he was a trailblazer.

“They knew me as the kid with the strange name and the kippah,” he recalled.

Back in the 1980s, some observant Jews didn’t wear kippahs in their workplaces. His father, a government employee, never removed his kippah, and the son followed suit.

In those days, President Ronald Reagan’s success against the USSR in the Cold War reached its peak. In the spirit of the era, Pieprz connected with the Republican administration—this during a time when American Jews almost universally aligned with Democrats.

In Silver Spring, Md., where he grew up, many community members worked in the federal government. Through these connections, he landed a summer internship with the secretary of housing and urban development in Reagan’s second administration.

“My role was simply answering letters,” Pieprz recounted.

From this junior government position, he found his way into political campaigns, where he connected with figures who would eventually become key players in America: New York Mayor and Trump confidant Rudy Giuliani, New York Gov. George Pataki, leading pollster Frank Luntz, and most significantly, Kellyanne Conway, who would become senior counselor to President Donald Trump.

Pieprz operates without stepping on toes, instead working quietly and methodically for his clients. Initially, his work was purely political, supporting Republican candidates across America. One of these candidates was a young congressman named John Thune, who would become Senate majority leader.

‘I Vote Israel’

After marriage, Pieprz took a 12-year break from politics and transitioned to the tech industry. In practice, though, he remained involved, assisting various candidates and maintaining his connections. The major shift occurred in 2010—coinciding with his move to Israel—when he decided to return to public activity, focusing on connecting Israel and American politics.

“I believed I had the connections to make an impact. I knew there was strong support for Israel among the American public, but I wanted Israel to become a domestic issue, a personal and local matter for voters, rather than just a distant foreign policy topic,” he explained.

In the spirit of that vision, his first major project was titled “I VOTE ISRAEL.”

During the 2012 U.S. elections, Pieprz encouraged Israelis with American voting rights from both parties to submit their votes by mail. This pioneering initiative marked the first campaign outside U.S. borders calling on Americans to vote in elections. The model was later replicated in other countries with his guidance and support.

“It’s important to understand that some U.S. voting districts have 5% of their electorate living in Israel. Places like Teaneck [in New Jersey], Five Towns [in New York]and similar communities are heavily populated with Jews, many of whom have made aliyah. This gives congressional candidates compelling reasons to campaign in Israel,” he explained.

Another key strategic factor is mobilizing evangelical support: “When evangelical voters and pastors in America witness events here, it energizes them. When Israelis expressed frustration with [President Barak] Obama’s perceived abandonment of Israel, leaders there used this sentiment to mobilize their base. Even in the recent election, despite initial evangelical hesitation about Trump, Israeli anger toward [President Joe] Biden and [Vice President Kamala] Harris helped overcome these reservations and solidify support,” Pieprz explained.

The “I VOTE ISRAEL” campaign in 2012 saw 80,000 Israelis participating in U.S. elections from Israel. By last November, with direct Republican Party investment, this number grew to approximately 300,000 Israelis exercising their voting rights—overwhelmingly supporting Trump.

Pieprz continued expanding his influence. In 2013, Danny Dayan, then chairman of the Yesha [Judea and Samaria] Council, recruited him to establish the organization’s international division.

“I was such an outsider that I didn’t even know who Danny Dayan was or what the Yesha Council represented,” he recalled.

This period coincided with intense pressure from the Obama administration, when a “Palestinian state” was a mandatory talking point in every U.S. political discourse on the Middle East. Pieprz was tasked with building vital bridges between the settlement movement and the world’s most influential capital.

Through persistent, methodical effort, he began breaking down barriers. Leveraging his Washington connections and deep understanding of the political machinery, he initially focused on bringing congressional staffers to Judea and Samaria. This gradually expanded to members of Congress themselves.

The watershed moment came during Trump’s presidency, culminating in then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s historic visit to the Psagot Winery in the Binyamin region of Samaria and the U.S. declaration that settlements in Judea and Samaria do not violate international law.

“I recall a pivotal meeting in Psagot during a [far-left lobby group] J Street-sponsored visit when a Black Democratic congressman pulled me aside and said: ‘Meet me in Washington without Jeremy Ben-Ami,’ J Street’s CEO. Though his initial positions drastically differed from mine, he recognized the merit in our arguments and wanted to hear them unfiltered.

“Our strategy aimed to demonstrate to Americans that Judea and Samaria isn’t some extreme venture beyond the mountains requiring concealment. At that time, no Israeli or American organization would bring visitors to the settlements, and this secrecy created a stigma that proved damaging. We sought to show that maintaining a presence in Judea and Samaria isn’t extreme or problematic, but rather represents Israel’s mainstream position, led by serious individuals,” Pieprz said.

Crucial connections

In recent years, Pieprz has facilitated crucial connections in Washington and Europe for the Security Movement, led by Brig. Gen. (res.) Amir Avivi. Recently, Avivi visited Mar-a-Lago and met with National Security Advisor-designate Mike Waltz and other senior Trump administration officials.

Another ongoing initiative involves supporting groups and communities from Muslim nations, including delegations from Yemen, Pakistan and Iran.

“These connections often develop through word-of-mouth. Their strategy involves leveraging Israel’s unique relationship with the U.S. to gain Washington’s support.”

Some groups have visited Israel, though Pieprz maintains discretion about these sensitive engagements.

This extensive background has set the stage for a new era beginning in Washington with Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20. Throughout his career, Pieprz has worked closely with key figures including Waltz, Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, Defense Secretary-designate Pete Hegseth (who “survived a precarious situation in Ramallah and requested to visit Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus together,” Pieprz recalled), U.N. Ambassador Elise Stefanik-nominee and Ambassador to Israel-nominee Mike Huckabee.

Pieprz interactions with Trump inform his projections about the future.

“These individuals share our fundamental perspective on Israel. They grasp Judea and Samaria’s vital importance. For some of them, a Palestinian state is an absolute red line.

“Their most significant attribute is exempting Israel from the ‘America First’ doctrine. While they aim to restructure America’s role as the West’s protector and financier, Israel represents a unique case. Trump values self-reliant allies, and Israel exemplifies this principle. That’s the basis of his distinct approach toward Israel,” he said.

Regarding Stefanik’s upcoming U.N. role, Pieprz said, “Elise brings excellence to the position. While she won’t dismantle the U.N., she’ll effectively reduce its influence and likely defund organizations and agencies operating against American interests. Both she and Trump believe America undermines itself by submitting to U.N. authority.”

On Israel’s strategy post-Jan. 20, Pieprz advised that “Israel must project strength and maintain an unapologetic stance. Trump respects strong partners, hence his regard for Putin and Erdoğan. Rather than self-restraint, Israel should think innovatively about its objectives.

“Trump likely opposes a Palestinian state. He’s skeptical of Ramallah’s leadership, viewing them as perpetually dependent rather than self-developing. Their anti-American stance particularly troubles him—something Trump won’t tolerate,” said Pieprz.

Originally published by Israel Hayom.