On Saturday, Donald Trump criticized Israeli prosecutors over the corruption case against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He said that the U.S., which gives Israel billions in aid, would not “tolerate this situation.” Netanyahu was charged in 2019 with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. He denies all charges. The trial started in 2020 and involves three separate criminal cases.
Last Friday, the court refused a request from Netanyahu’s lawyers to delay his testimony by two weeks. They wanted more time because of concerns related to recent conflicts between Israel and Iran. Netanyahu is set to testify on Monday for cross-examination.
Trump posted on Truth Social, calling the prosecutors “INSANITY” and claimed they were hurting Netanyahu’s ability to talk with Hamas and Iran. An Israeli prosecutor declined to comment on Trump’s remarks. Netanyahu shared Trump’s post on X and added, “Thank you again, @realDonaldTrump. Together, we will make the Middle East Great Again!”
Within days, Trump posted again. This time he defended Netanyahu and pushed to cancel the trial. He linked Israel’s legal trouble to U.S. aid, saying, “The United States spends billions yearly to support Israel. We won’t accept this.” Trump also hinted that Netanyahu is working on a deal with Hamas, but didn’t give details.
On Friday, Trump told reporters he believes a ceasefire might happen soon. Hamas has said it’s willing to free the last hostages in Gaza if there’s an agreement. Israel says it will stop fighting only if Hamas disarms and gives up its weapons. Hamas refuses to surrender its arms.
Interest in ending the Gaza fighting is growing.
