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Trump slammed Netanyahu for congratulating Biden

Published:Saturday | December 11, 2021 | 12:06 AM
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attend the Abraham Accords signing ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, in Washington on September 15, 2020. Former President Donald Trump lashed out with profanity at Benjamin
Alex Brandon
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attend the Abraham Accords signing ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, in Washington on September 15, 2020. Former President Donald Trump lashed out with profanity at Benjamin Netanyahu for congratulating President Joe Biden on his victory in last year’s election, an Israeli newspaper reported yesterday.

JERUSALEM (AP):

Former President Donald Trump earlier this year lashed out with profanity at Benjamin Netanyahu for congratulating President Joe Biden on his victory in the US election, an Israeli newspaper reported Friday.

Trump accused the former Israeli leader of disloyalty, saying he had helped Netanyahu in his own elections by reversing decades of US policy and supporting Israel’s claims to territory seized in war. Trump is still falsely claiming the US election was stolen from him.

In interviews earlier this year with the Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, Trump expressed fury at a video Netanyahu circulated online in which he congratulated Biden.

“Nobody did more for Bibi. And I liked Bibi. I still like Bibi,” Trump said, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname, in the remarks published by English language website of the Yediot Aharonot newspaper. “But I also like loyalty ... Bibi could have stayed quiet. He has made a terrible mistake.”

Netanyahu had congratulated Biden more than 12 hours after the election was called and after most other world leaders. Netanyahu did not refer to him as president-elect in the tweet, and followed it up with a post praising Trump.

Trump appeared to be particularly incensed by a video released by Netanyahu on January 20, the day Biden was inaugurated, in which Netanyahu said he and Biden had a “warm personal friendship going back many decades”.

“I haven’t spoken to him since. F—- him,” Trump was quoted as saying.

In a statement released after the remarks were publicised, Netanyahu said that he “greatly appreciates President Trump’s great contribution to the state of Israel and its security”.

Netanyahu said he “also greatly appreciates the importance of the strong alliance between Israel and the United States, so it was important to congratulate the incoming US president”.

Netanyahu was replaced as prime minister last summer after he was unable to form a governing majority in the wake of four hard-fought elections in less than two years.