2024-07-27 04:28:02
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today visited former US President Donald Trump at his estate in Florida, Reuters reported.
The two leaders were close allies during Trump’s time in the White House, but tensions later arose after Netanyahu congratulated Joe Biden on his 2020 presidential victory. Today’s meeting could lead to a smoothing of their relations, predicts the British agency.
Netanyahu went to the Republican leader a day after meeting Democratic President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who will face Trump in the Nov. 5 election.
Poll results show little difference in support for the two contenders for the White House. This motivates world leaders such as Netanyahu, who has traditionally maintained a closer alliance with the US Republican Party than with the Democrats, to seek a balance, writes BTA.
Harris emphasized in his conversation with Netanyahu the suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. “I made clear my serious concerns about the dire humanitarian situation,” Harris said yesterday after his meeting with the Israeli prime minister. “Ima remained speechless. Israel has the right to defend itself. And the way he does it matters,” added Harris.
Israeli officials criticized the US vice president for saying it was time for the war to stop.
Trump yesterday called for a quick end to the conflict and for the return of the hostages held by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The Republican presidential candidate noted that Israel needs to improve its public image. “I want (Netanyahu) to end and quickly. They are self-destructing with this publicity,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News.
In a meeting with former US President Donald Trump 🇺🇸🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/mfXt0vfiPp
— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) July 26, 2024
He criticized the congressmen who protested during the speech Netanyahu gave at the Capitol on Wednesday. The Israeli Prime Minister’s speech was boycotted by dozens of Democrats.