Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump said yesterday he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their last meeting in July to quickly end Israel’s war in Gaza, but also criticised ceasefire demands, Reuters reports.
“He knows what he’s doing, I did encourage him to get this over with,” Trump told reporters at a press conference yesterday. “It has to get over with fast. … Get your victory and get it over with. It has to stop, the killing has to stop.”
Trump was referring to his meeting with Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago residence in late July, when Netanyahu visited the United States. He also met President Joe Biden and Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris during the trip.
There has been an increased risk of a broader war in the Middle East after Israel assassinated Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Iran and Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut. Both drew threats of retaliation against Israel. Though Tel Aviv has claimed responsibility for Shukr’s killing, it has not commented on the murder of Haniyeh.
In an event later on yesterday about tackling anti-Semitism, Trump criticised Biden and Harris’ months-long calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.
READ: US officials warn that Israel may have reached its limits in Gaza war
“From the start, Harris has worked to tie Israel’s hand behind its back, demanding an immediate ceasefire, always demanding ceasefire,” Trump said, adding it “would only give Hamas time to regroup and launch a new October 7 style attack.”
Trump added: “I will give Israel the support that it needs to win but I do want them to win fast.”
Trump also labelled pro-Palestinian supporters calling for an end to US support for Israel’s genocidal war “pro-Hamas thugs” and “jihad sympathisers.” He threatened to arrest and deport them from the US if he became president.
Netanyahu’s office and Trump both separately denied an Axios report that said they had spoken the previous day about Gaza ceasefire and hostage release talks.
The Axios report cited two U.S. sources. One source said the reported call was intended to encourage Netanyahu to take the three-phase ceasefire proposal laid out by Biden, but stressed he did not know if this is indeed what the former president told Netanyahu.
Egypt, the United States and Qatar have scheduled a new round of Gaza ceasefire negotiations this week.
Washington, Israel’s most important ally, has said that a ceasefire in Gaza will reduce the rising threat of a wider war.
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