President Donald Trump called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “deep in his heart” just weeks after the Israeli leader claimed they had “very friendly and warm” discussions about hostage negotiations and Syria policy. He shared incendiary video content calling him a “dark motherfucker.”
The president-elect posted a clip on Truth Social featuring economist Jeffrey Sachs accusing Netanyahu of manipulating U.S. foreign policy and orchestrating “endless wars” in the Middle East.
In the video, Sachs, interviewed by Tucker Carlson, said that since 1995, Prime Minister Netanyahu has pursued a systematic strategy to eliminate Hamas and Hezbollah by targeting supported governments in Iraq, Iran and Syria. claims to have done so.
“(Prime Minister Netanyahu) has dragged us into endless wars, and all these forces in American politics have allowed him to get his way,” Sachs said in an interview, referring to the influence of the pro-Israel lobby. .
It was not immediately clear President Trump’s purpose in promoting the video.
The president-elect has a history of reposting clips and images criticizing Washington’s regime policies, but this latest repost comes as Egypt, Qatar, and the current U.S. administration seek to broker a cease-fire agreement that includes the release of hostages. It took place amidst intensive diplomatic efforts.
Trump’s decision to expand on Sachs’ remarks comes as Israeli settlers organize a group of hard-line state supporters they call the “Dream Team.”
His nominee for secretary of state, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, opposes the Gaza ceasefire and has called on Israel to “destroy every element” of Hamas. Elise Stefanik, the New York representative he chose to be ambassador to the United Nations, dismissed the organization as a “cesspool of anti-Semitism” for criticizing civilian deaths in Gaza.
Mike Huckabee, President Trump’s pick for ambassador to Israel, rejected common diplomatic language regarding the occupied Palestinian territories. “There is no such thing as the West Bank,” Huckabee said during a visit to Israel in 2017. Huckabee, an evangelical Christian, has previously said that “there is no such thing as a Palestinian.”
Pete Hegseth, President Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense, is also an evangelical Christian whose tattoos of Crusade-related symbols have raised eyebrows in diplomatic circles.
Trump himself has said that if Hamas does not release the hostages before he takes office, “we will pay a price in hell.”
After 15 months of conflict, around 100 hostages remain in Gaza, two-thirds of whom are estimated to be alive. More than 45,000 Palestinians are believed to have been killed since the war began, and most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been displaced and endured harsh winter weather.
The relationship between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu has historically been mutually beneficial, but it has also been unpredictable and at times transactional.
President Trump’s first term delivered important diplomatic victories for Netanyahu, including recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights in 2019 and supporting the Abraham Accords with Gulf states. This summer, President Trump hosted Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago during Netanyahu’s visit to the United States.
However, when Trump lost the 2020 election, he slammed Netanyahu for congratulating Biden, telling Axios: He’s a bastard. ”
However, Trump’s return to the presidency could be an advantage for Netanyahu’s expansionist policies, especially regarding settlement expansion and possible annexation of the West Bank.
The Israeli government did not immediately respond to the repost.
Mr Sachs told the Guardian that he was not advising Mr Trump but hoped it would signal a shift in US foreign policy.
“While we do not know President Trump’s stance on these issues, we strongly hope that he will free U.S. foreign policy from the grip of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s cruel, ineffective, illegal and destructive policies,” he said. said.
