Former US President Donald Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not prepared for an attack by Palestinian Hamas militants, who have killed more than 1,300 people in Israel and taken dozens hostage.
Speaking to Fox News this Wednesday (12), Trump, favorite for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, said that Netanyahu “was greatly harmed” by the attack.
“He was not prepared. He was not prepared, and Israel was not prepared. And under the Trump administration, they wouldn’t have to be prepared,” he said, drawing criticism in the US and other countries.
Speaking to supporters in Florida, he described the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah as “very smart.” Like Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah is supported by Iran.
“You know, Hezbollah is very smart,” Trump said. “They are all very smart.”
On Thursday, Israel was still collecting its dead from Saturday’s Hamas attack, one of the most devastating in its 75-year history. In retaliation, the country carried out airstrikes in Gaza that killed at least 1,400 Palestinians.
White House spokesman Andrew Bates called the comments “dangerous and unbalanced,” while some of Trump’s Republican opponents attacked him for criticizing a U.S. ally at a time of crisis.
Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said Trump’s comments showed he could not be trusted.
It is “shameful that a man like him, a former US president, makes propaganda and disseminates things that hurt the spirit of Israel’s fighters and its citizens,” Karhi told Israel’s Channel 13.
In his speech, Trump said he was revealing for the first time that Israel decided at the last minute not to participate in the United States’ assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. Soleimani was killed in Iraq in a drone strike on January 3, 2020, ordered by Trump.
Trump said Israeli officials had not explained why they made that decision.
“I will never forget that Bibi Netanyahu greatly disappointed us. That was a terrible thing,” Trump said, using Netanyahu’s nickname.
See also: Israeli troops await approval to enter the Gaza Strip
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
