Former President Donald Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago last Friday, their first meeting since Trump left the White House three years ago. The meeting, requested by Netanyahu, comes after major diplomatic events earlier this week: the prime minister’s speech to the US Congress and his meetings with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Kamala Harris’ comments about civilian suffering in Gaza and the need for a ceasefire have raised concerns among Netanyahu, who hopes the statements will not complicate ongoing negotiations, according to CNN. For the Israeli prime minister, unity between Israel and the US could accelerate a deal.
“Never Closer to World War III”
During the meeting, Trump expressed his concerns about the future of the Middle East and asserted that if he is not re-elected, the situation could worsen and even lead to World War III. He said: “We have never been closer to World War III than we are today,” blaming the situation on the incompetence of current leaders. Trump criticized Kamala Harris, saying she was “disrespectful to Israel” and questioned whether American Jewish voters would support her candidacy.
A complicated relationship between Trump and Netanyahu after Biden’s victory
The meeting was aimed at repairing ties between Trump and Netanyahu, which have soured since Netanyahu congratulated Biden on his 2020 presidential election, a gesture Trump perceived as a betrayal. Trump criticized Netanyahu for failing to support US military action against Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in 2020, calling the lack of support “disappointing”.
Finally, if re-elected, Trump pledged to end the current conflict quickly, argued that the war would harm Israel’s image, and insisted that the October 7 attack would not have happened under his presidency. The meeting is seen as an opportunity for Trump to reinforce his image of strong support for Israel.
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