Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Friday for the first time since the former president lost the election in 2020.
During their hour-long conversation, Netanyahu expressed his gratitude for Trump’s efforts on issues of critical importance to Israel during his time in the White House. It also was an opportunity for the once-close allies to rebuild ties, with Trump committing to make every effort to bring peace to the Middle East and to combat rising antisemitism, according to a brief summary provided by the Trump campaign.
Trump also seized the opportunity to criticize Vice President Kamala Harris, his likely opponent in the 2024 general election. He labeled Harris a “radical left person” and denounced her meeting with Netanyahu on Thursday as “disrespectful.”
“I think her remarks were disrespectful, they weren’t very nice pertaining to Israel. I actually don’t know how a person who is Jewish could vote for her,” Trump told reporters prior to the meeting, adding that “her ineptness will greatly prolong the war in Gaza and delay the hostage release.”
When asked by reporters about past tensions with Israel’s leader, Trump was quick to dismiss them, stating, “It was never bad. We’ve always had a very good relationship.” He went on to highlight his administration’s support for Israel, asserting, “I was very good to Israel, better than any president’s ever been.”
“We terminated the Iran nuclear deal but unfortunately the Biden administration didn’t do anything,” Trump stated. “We had all the cards. Iran was not using terror at all because they didn’t have the money. Nobody was buying their oil and now they’re a rich country.”
With the Gaza war approaching its 10-month mark, Trump claimed he could prevent WWIII if elected president again in November.
“If we win, it’ll be very simple: it will all work out and very quickly. If we don’t, you’re going to end up with major wars in the Middle East and maybe a third world war.”
For his part, Netanyahu has increasingly aligned himself with the Republican Party in recent years, and his conservative base in Israel who openly hopes for a Trump victory. This was extremely evident during Netanyahu’s historic address to Congress on Wednesday where he lavishly praised the former president for his unwavering support for Israel.
Many of Netanyahu’s coalition partners view the Trump era as a golden age for Israel, citing the former president’s decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem, his recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and his declaration that Israeli settlements should not be considered illegal under international law.
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