Get you up to speed: Trump tells Netanyahu ‘you’d be in prison if it weren’t for me’ | News World
Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu had a tense phone call in which Trump threatened to resume airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, stating, “You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me.” Following this call, Israel resumed drone strikes on southern Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of 11 individuals, including two children.
Negotiations for a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon resumed in Washington, with discussions commencing on Tuesday; however, no formal diplomatic relations exist between the two nations. The ongoing hostilities have resulted in over 3,400 fatalities in Lebanon and displaced more than one million people since fighting intensified after US and Israeli actions against Iran in February.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that Netanyahu had previously refrained from attacking Beirut to respect ongoing negotiations between the US and Iran, but indicated that attacks would resume if Hezbollah continued targeting Northern Israel. Concurrently, negotiations in Washington have commenced, with Lebanese negotiators advocating for a full ceasefire to prevent future attacks amid rising casualties and displacement in Lebanon.
What remains unclear — The impact of the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants on Netanyahu’s political future and Israel’s military strategy is not yet known.
Trump tells Netanyahu he would be in prison without his support in tense call
The two allies exchanged fiery remarks in the phone call, reported by Axios (Picture: AP)
Donald Trump cursed and told Benjamin Netanyahu he would be in ‘prison’ if it were not for him in a tense call between the two leaders.
Trump reportedly told the Israeli Prime Minister: ‘What the f*** are you doing?’ as he threatened to resume airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs.
‘You’re f***ing crazy. You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me. I’m saving your ass. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this,’ the US president said, according to Axios.
In May 2024, the International Criminal Court announced it would seek arrest warrants for the most prominent Israeli and Hamas leaders for crimes against humanity. Netanyahu was included in this.
Israel resumed drone strikes on southern Lebanon after the call, killing 11 people including two children and their father, even as Hezbollah agreed to dial back fighting.
Hezbollah did not carry out any attacks on Israel after Trump’s announcement that fighting would decrease.
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Israeli strikes in Lebanon have displaced thousands (Picture: AP)
The ongoing hostilities – despite a nominal ceasefire that began in April – are causing further displacement among Lebanon’s conflict-weary population.
They are also a significant sticking point in negotiations to extend a ceasefire in the US-Israeli war in Iran, as the Islamic Republic wants any such deal to end fighting in Lebanon, too.
Two Iranian news agencies reported on Tuesday that the country cut off communication with mediators facilitating the ceasefire talks.
Another round of talks between Israel and Lebanon began on Tuesday in Washington, where Lebanese negotiators are set to seek a full ceasefire that will prevent future attacks.
The talks began in April and were the first in more than three decades between the countries, which have no formal diplomatic relations. Hezbollah has rejected direct talks, counting on pressure from Iran.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu (Picture: Reuters)
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday that Israel previously refrained from attacking Beirut out of deference to negotiations between the US and Iran.
But he said Netanyahu informed Trump in the phone call on Monday that Israel would attack Beirut’s southern suburbs if Hezbollah continues targeting northern Israel.
The fighting presents a major obstacle to the emerging deal to extend the ceasefire in the Iran war that erupted after the United States and Israel struck Iran on February 28.
Tehran wants any agreement to include a complete ceasefire in Lebanon.
The latest round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has killed 3,433 people in Lebanon and displaced more than one million people.
Trump and Netanyahu have been butting heads over the continued fighting. Last month, the pair spoke on the phone in what was described as a ‘dramatic and lengthy’ call about the war in Iran.
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