Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed his relationship with US President Donald Trump is 'fine,' dismissing reports of disagreements between the two leaders over the ceasefire with Iran and Israel's attacks in Lebanon.
In an interview with Fox News on Monday, Netanyahu praised the United States and Trump, stating, 'America has been a tremendous force for good, and without America, there won’t be any democracy in the world, or any freedom.' He added that he and Trump see eye to eye on 'just about everything.'
The comments come amid criticism from some Israeli cabinet members of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding calling for a regional ceasefire, including in Lebanon. Israel has refused to withdraw from Lebanon, insisting on the right to bomb the country at any time in response to 'threats.' An Israeli strike in southern Lebanon on Monday killed four civilians, including a teacher.
Netanyahu acknowledged potential differences between the US and Israel but described them as 'model allies' who can iron out disagreements. He confirmed a forthcoming visit to the US but did not set a date.
During the visit, Netanyahu plans to lobby against the transfer of F-35 jets to Turkey, a NATO ally and vocal critic of Israel's genocidal war in Gaza. 'I don’t think they should be given F-35s or the engines for their fighter jets because that’ll upset the power balance in the Middle East,' he said.
Netanyahu contrasted Israel with Turkey, saying, 'They didn’t lift a finger to help you in Iran. We did.' He has long called for the US to attack Iran, leading to the US-Israel war on Iran that began on February 28, which proved highly unpopular with American voters.
Some Israeli commentators and politicians have escalated rhetoric against Turkey, suggesting it is the next regional rival after Iran. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned on Saturday against Israel's efforts to undermine the US-Iran agreement, stating, 'The current war-addicted Israeli government must not be allowed to drown our geography in the smell of gunpowder and blood again.'
Source: www.aljazeera.com