Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with President-elect Donald Trump to congratulate him on his victory against Vice President Kamala Harris and said the two discussed the “Iranian threat.”
According to a statement released by Netanyahu’s office, the Israeli leader was “among the first to call” Trump after his victory.
“Their conversation was warm and cordial,” the statement said. “The Prime Minister congratulated President-elect Trump on his election victory. The two agreed to work together for Israel’s security, and also discussed the Iranian threat.”
In a separate statement, Netanyahu called Trump’s victory the world’s “greatest comeback” and appeared to take a shot at President Biden by saying Trump’s return to the White House “offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America.”
During his time in office, Trump was extremely pro-Israel, but his relationship with Netanyahu soured when the Israeli leader congratulated President Biden on winning the 2020 election when Trump was still disputing the results. The move angered Trump, who had harsh words for Netanyahu in 2021, but the two have been friendly as Trump has been on the campaign trail this year.
The Washington Post reported that during a call in October, Trump praised Israeli military actions in Lebanon following Israel’s dramatic escalations. “He didn’t tell him what to do militarily, but he expressed that he was impressed by the pagers,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who was also on the call, told the Post. “He expressed his awe for their military operations and what they have done. He told them, do what you have to do to defend yourself.”
On the campaign trail, Trump has accused Biden and Harris of “abandoning” Israel even though they’ve provided more military aid to Israel than any other US administration in history. Trump’s campaign received a $100 million donation from Miriam Adelson, the widow of the casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, who wants the US to support the Israeli annexation of the West Bank.
Trump has vowed that he will strongly support Israel when he returns to office and has said Israel has to “finish the problem,” referring to the genocidal campaign in Gaza. According to a report from The Times of Israel, Trump has told Netanyahu that he wants the war to be over by the time he returns to office by January 20, 2025. However, one of the Times’ sources stressed that Trump wasn’t specific in his appeal to Netanyahu and could well back “residual” Israeli military activity in Gaza.
Israel is currently in the process of attempting to carry out an ethnic cleansing campaign in northern Gaza, known as the “general’s plan,” which could pave the way for the establishment of Jewish settlements. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, one of the biggest proponents of expelling Palestinians from Gaza, also celebrated Trump’s victory in a post on X.