Trump says that without Netanyahu Israel “may no longer exist”

Washington.- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that if it weren’t for Prime Minister Israeli, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel “might not exist anymore”, a comment that came in a press conference filled with praise between both leaders and in which no details were offered about what was discussed in the meeting they held behind closed doors today.

In a joint press conference held at the Republican’s residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, Trump described Netanyahu as “a prime minister at the highest level in times of war”, adding that if someone else had been in his place, perhaps the country would no longer exist.

You may be interested in: http://Donald Trump downplays China’s new military maneuvers around Taiwan

Both leaders spent more than 20 minutes exchanging praise without giving details about the points discussed in a meeting held minutes earlier, where the priority was to address the disarmament of Hamas to unlock the second phase of the peace plan in the Gaza Strip. Israel had indicated before the meeting that it was not willing to enter that new phase until Hamas handed over the body of Ran Gvili, an Israeli police officer who died while fighting members of the militia during the October 7, 2023 attacks. In October, Hamas handed over to Israel the 20 Israeli hostages it still held alive and, after delivering more than 20 bodies it held, Gvili’s is the last one to be transferred. For his part, Netanyahu today thanked Trump’s “invaluable” help during the process and assured that he plans to award the Republican the Israel Prize, which he assured “in almost 80 years had never been awarded to a non-Israeli”.

Although he did not specify when this recognition will be delivered, Netanyahu added that it was the Minister of Education who decided to give the award to Trump and that it will be for “his contributions to Israel and the Jewish people”.