Netanyahu, having traveled from Washington, D.C., where he met with President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee, earlier in the week, sought Trump’s support amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
At Mar-a-Lago, Trump was unequivocal in his criticism of Harris, asserting she is “worse” on Middle East issues. He claimed that Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza could expand into a wider regional conflict if she succeeds Biden, who recently announced he would not seek re-election.
“We’ll see how it goes. But if it all works out, if we win, it’ll be very simple. It’s all going to work out. And very quickly,” Trump stated. “If we don’t, you’re going to end up with major wars in the Middle East. And maybe a third World War. You are closer to a third World War right now than at any time since the Second World War. We’ve never been so close because we have incompetent people running the country.”
Trump’s remarks come on the heels of a reported diplomatic clash between Harris and Netanyahu following their meeting on Thursday. Harris reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Israel’s right to self-defense, including against threats from Iran and its proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah.
Netanyahu and Trump to Rebuild Ties at Mar-a-Lago Meeting
However, she also voiced serious concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, calling for an end to the conflict and the release of hostages held by Hamas.
Netanyahu, reportedly irked by Harris’s criticisms of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, emphasized Israel’s determination to continue its military operations until Hamas is eliminated, regardless of the humanitarian concerns raised.
In response to questions about Harris’s comments, Netanyahu stated, “We’re trying to get [a cease-fire deal]. And I think, to the extent that Hamas understands that there’s no daylight between Israel and the United States, that expedites the deal. And I hope that those comments don’t change that.”
The Mar-a-Lago meeting marked the first face-to-face encounter between Trump and Netanyahu since the former president left office in 2020. Their relationship had soured when Netanyahu congratulated President-elect Biden on his victory, prompting Trump to express his displeasure in no uncertain terms.
However, Netanyahu is now making efforts to reconcile and secure Trump’s support for Israel in its ongoing conflict with Gaza, should Trump return to the White House after the upcoming election.
During the meeting, Netanyahu presented Trump with a poignant photo of one of the Bibas toddlers, children still held captive by Hamas in Gaza. The photo, given to Netanyahu by the toddler’s grandfather, moved Trump, who responded, “Wow, that’s very moving. We’ll get that taken care of.”
Meanwhile, protests erupted in West Palm Beach, Florida, upon Netanyahu’s arrival, mirroring the demonstrations sparked by his visit to Washington, D.C., earlier in the week. The prime minister’s address to Congress had also drawn significant protest, featuring antisemitic slogans, calls for Israel’s eradication, vandalism, and confrontations with D.C. police.
In his Congressional address, Netanyahu accused Iran of funding these protests and criticized the demonstrators, who have been demanding an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. “I have a message for these protesters. When the tyrants of Tehran, who hang gays from cranes and murder women for not covering their hair, are praising, promoting, and funding you, you have officially become Iran’s useful idiots,” Netanyahu declared.
“Some of these protesters hold up signs proclaiming gays for Gaza. They might as well hold up signs saying ‘Chickens for KFC.’ These protesters chant ‘From the river to the sea.’ But many don’t have a clue what river and what sea they’re talking about.”
The war in Gaza has been ongoing since the horrific events of October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack that killed nearly 1,200 people, including more than 30 Americans. Currently, Hamas holds over 100 hostages in Gaza, including eight Americans, further intensifying the conflict and complicating efforts for a peaceful resolution.
In a stark warning, former President Donald Trump claimed on Friday that conflicts in the Middle East could escalate into a third World War if he loses the 2024 election. The Republican nominee made these remarks during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
Netanyahu, having traveled from Washington, D.C., where he met with President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee, earlier in the week, sought Trump’s support amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
At Mar-a-Lago, Trump was unequivocal in his criticism of Harris, asserting she is “worse” on Middle East issues. He claimed that Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza could expand into a wider regional conflict if she succeeds Biden, who recently announced he would not seek re-election. “We’ll see how it goes. But if it all works out, if we win, it’ll be very simple.
It’s all going to work out. And very quickly,” Trump stated. “If we don’t, you’re going to end up with major wars in the Middle East. And maybe a third World War. You are closer to a third World War right now than at any time since the Second World War. We’ve never been so close because we have incompetent people running the country.”
Trump’s remarks come on the heels of a reported diplomatic clash between Harris and Netanyahu following their meeting on Thursday. Harris reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Israel’s right to self-defense, including against threats from Iran and its proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah. However, she also voiced serious concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, calling for an end to the conflict and the release of hostages held by Hamas.
Netanyahu, reportedly irked by Harris’s criticisms of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, emphasized Israel’s determination to continue its military operations until Hamas is eliminated, regardless of the humanitarian concerns raised. In response to questions about Harris’s comments, Netanyahu stated, “We’re trying to get [a cease-fire deal]. And I think, to the extent that Hamas understands that there’s no daylight between Israel and the United States, that expedites the deal. And I hope that those comments don’t change that.”
The Mar-a-Lago meeting marked the first face-to-face encounter between Trump and Netanyahu since the former president left office in 2020. Their relationship had soured when Netanyahu congratulated President-elect Biden on his victory, prompting Trump to express his displeasure in no uncertain terms. However, Netanyahu is now making efforts to reconcile and secure Trump’s support for Israel in its ongoing conflict with Gaza, should Trump return to the White House after the upcoming election.
During the meeting, Netanyahu presented Trump with a poignant photo of one of the Bibas toddlers, children still held captive by Hamas in Gaza. The photo, given to Netanyahu by the toddler’s grandfather, moved Trump, who responded, “Wow, that’s very moving. We’ll get that taken care of.”
Meanwhile, protests erupted in West Palm Beach, Florida, upon Netanyahu’s arrival, mirroring the demonstrations sparked by his visit to Washington, D.C., earlier in the week. The prime minister’s address to Congress had also drawn significant protest, featuring antisemitic slogans, calls for Israel’s eradication, vandalism, and confrontations with D.C. police.
In his Congressional address, Netanyahu accused Iran of funding these protests and criticized the demonstrators, who have been demanding an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. “I have a message for these protesters. When the tyrants of Tehran, who hang gays from cranes and murder women for not covering their hair, are praising, promoting, and funding you, you have officially become Iran’s useful idiots,” Netanyahu declared. “Some of these protesters hold up signs proclaiming gays for Gaza. They might as well hold up signs saying ‘Chickens for KFC.’ These protesters chant ‘From the river to the sea.’ But many don’t have a clue what river and what sea they’re talking about.”
The war in Gaza has been ongoing since the horrific events of October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack that killed nearly 1,200 people, including more than 30 Americans. Currently, Hamas holds over 100 hostages in Gaza, including eight Americans, further intensifying the conflict and complicating efforts for a peaceful resolution.