Former US President Donald Trump has urged Israel to expedite the conclusion of its ongoing war with Hamas. In a recent interview with Fox News, he stated that a protracted conflict is detrimental to Israel’s image and public relations efforts. During his tenure in office, Trump was a close ally of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and has claimed to be “history’s most pro-Israel US president.
Throughout the war between Israel and Hamas that began in October, Trump has frequently called on Netanyahu to bring about a swift end to the conflict. He expressed his concerns to the Israel Hayom news outlet in March, saying, “You have to finish up your war… You gotta get it done. And I am sure you will do that. And we gotta get to peace, we can’t have this going on.
Trump also criticized the destruction of civilian homes in Gaza, calling it a “very bad picture for the world.” He urged Israel to take necessary actions, but without harming civilians. In his recent Fox News interview, Trump further condemned the Democrats who protested Netanyahu’s address to Congress and called for jail sentences for those who burned American flags outside the US Capitol.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Thursday afternoon before traveling to Florida to meet with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Trump has expressed excitement about welcoming Netanyahu to Florida and shared a letter he received from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who wished him “strength and safety” following an assassination attempt earlier this month. In response, Trump thanked Abbas and assured him that “everything will be good.