Former President Donald Trump recently sat down for an interview with Time magazine, where he expressed sharp criticism towards Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the October 7 attacks that resulted in the loss of over 1,000 Israeli lives.
While Trump stopped short of calling for Netanyahu’s ouster, he made it clear that he held the prime minister accountable for the devastating attacks.
In the interview, Trump discussed his plans for a potential second term, including his approach to handling relations with Israel in its ongoing conflict with Hamas. Trump chastised Netanyahu, stating that the October 7 attacks “should have never happened.”
Benjamin Netanyahu (Credits: The New York Times)
When asked if he believed he could work more effectively with Netanyahu’s political rival, Benny Gantz, Trump remained noncommittal, saying, “I haven’t spoken to him about it. But you have some very good people that I’ve gotten to know in Israel that could do a good job.”
Trump continued to criticize Netanyahu, stating, “Bibi Netanyahu rightfully has been criticized for what took place on October 7.” This criticism comes as Israel faces international scrutiny, including from Democrats in the US, over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the death toll among civilians and aid workers.
The Biden administration has defended Israel’s right to respond to Hamas while urging the country to take additional steps to protect civilians and aid workers, hinting that future military aid could be conditional upon concrete changes.
As the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, Trump has offered limited insights into how he would handle the Israel-Hamas conflict if he were in the White House. Instead, he has repeatedly asserted that the war would have never started if he were president, emphasizing his first administration’s support for Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Credits: PBS)
However, he has also made controversial statements about Jewish Americans who vote for Democrats or do not support Israel, suggesting they hate their own religion.
In the Time interview, conducted earlier this month, Trump expressed skepticism about the feasibility of a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians once the conflict concludes.
“There was a time when I thought two states could work. Now I think two states is going to be very, very tough,” Trump said. “I think it’s going to be much tougher to get. I also think you have fewer people that liked the idea. You had a lot of people that liked the idea four years ago. Today, you have far fewer people that like that idea.”
