US President Donald Trump made big comments about Israel on Tuesday. “There will be no Israel without me,” Trump claimed, referring to America’s longstanding support for Israel. He believes that Israel would have been destroyed long ago without American aid and intervention.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France, Trump expressed concern over the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah. “This war has been going on for a long time and many people have died,” he said. Trump also said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should behave more responsibly in Lebanon.
Trump also expressed displeasure with recent Israeli military strikes in southern Lebanon suburbs. He said the attack should not have happened just before the announcement of an interim peace deal between the US and Iran. “You don’t need to tear down an apartment every time you find a person, because there are a lot of innocent people in that house, and not all people are Hezbollah,” Trump said bluntly.
Trump said Israel’s existence would be threatened without US aid. He described the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah as a “small war” but said it continues to destabilize the entire region. Trump also claimed that the peace agreement with Iran will survive even if Israel continues to attack Beirut.
Referring to his relationship with Netanyahu, Trump said he has a good relationship with “Bibi,” or Benjamin Netanyahu. However, he said, Netanyahu needs to show more restraint and responsibility towards Lebanon and Hezbollah.
A new memorandum of understanding is likely to be signed between the US and Iran. The agreement will seek to end the conflict in West Asia and extend the ceasefire between the two countries. There is a possibility to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which was almost closed due to the war.
