Trump's Statement about Natanyahu

 The White House has confirmed that Israel consulted the Trump Administration on the recent strikes, and that there will be a price to pay. The Trump Administration and the White House were consulted by the Israelis on their attacks in Gaza. President Trump made it clear that Hamas, the Houthis, Iran, and others who seek to terrorize not only Israel but also the United States will face consequences. Trump emphasized that all hell would break loose, warning all terrorist groups in the Middle East, including the Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iranian-backed terror proxies, to take him seriously. 

Trump also mentioned that he was not afraid to stand for law-abiding people. The Trump Administration has been strongly supportive of Israel, with Trump declaring himself the greatest friend to Israel, promising to deliver on that claim. He said he was giving Israel everything it needed to finish the job in Gaza, which included bypassing Congress to secure an additional $4 billion in U.S. military aid for Israel. The rhetoric about all hell breaking loose has been echoed by Trump himself, who used it two weeks ago when demanding Hamas release all hostages. Trump also did not try to hide the fact that he was unbothered if Netanyahu restarted the war after meeting at the White House, where Netanyahu was the first foreign leader invited since Trump came back into office. 

Trump has also made statements about Gaza, calling it uninhabitable and describing it as rubble, suggesting that people there should leave. He proposed the U.S. take charge of Gaza, though he has since changed his stance, stating that he would not forcibly displace anyone. This position contrasts with the Biden administration’s approach, as Biden attempted to pressure Netanyahu to adopt a more humanitarian approach and minimize civilian casualties. Biden also threatened to withhold U.S. military aid, and Israel complied by giving warnings prior to strikes and minimizing the impact on civilians. However, the current operation in Gaza unfolded without warnings, and no response has come from the White House or other U.S. officials, possibly due to the late hour. 

This shows a very different dynamic, with Netanyahu now having more political cover from a friendly U.S. administration unwilling to criticize him. Regarding ceasefire talks, U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Vioff presented a proposal recently negotiated with Israel and Hamas, which would extend phase one of the ceasefire. The proposal involved Hamas releasing several captives in exchange for allowing aid back into Gaza and extending the ceasefire for another month. However, the White House reported that Hamas rejected the deal. Following this, there has been no further talk of U.S. involvement in the negotiations. Israel, in turn, has justified its military actions by stating that Hamas rejected Vioff’s deal, although this overlooks the broader context, as the original ceasefire negotiated under Biden, with Trump’s assistance, should have already entered phase two. It was Israel that did not uphold its part of the deal, resulting in the current situation.

(Source: Aljazera News)