Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said he and US President Donald Trump may have occasional ‘tactical disagreements’ over the handling of the ongoing conflict in Middle East, but stressed that both leaders remain aligned on the key issues and continue to maintain a strong relationship.Speaking in an interview with CNBC in Jerusalem, Netanyahu down played reports of a growing rift with Trump following recent tensions over Israel’s military operations in Lebanon.“Sometimes we have, as in the best of families, you have these tactical disagreements. But we always find a way to work them out, and we do so as great friends,” he said.He added that he and Trump agreed on the main objectives, particularly preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and addressing security threats facing Israel.“We can disagree in the morning and find common ground by the afternoon,” Netanyahu said.His remarks come after Trump lashed out at Netanyahu during a phone call on Monday over Israel’s escalation in Lebanon, Axios reported. He called Netanyahu ‘crazy’ and accused him of ingratitude.“You’re f****** crazy. You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me. I’m saving your a**. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this,” Trump said, as quoted by the US official.Later, Trump publicly acknowledged a heated phone conversation with the Israeli leader over Israel’s continued military action in Lebanon.In an interview with the New York Post, Trump confirmed reports that he had used strong language during a call with Netanyahu, saying he was frustrated that Israel’s operations against Hezbollah were complicating broader diplomatic efforts involving Iran.“I was a little bit perturbed at his constantly fighting with Lebanon,” Trump said.However, the US President also stressed that his relationship with Netanyahu remained strong.“We’ve worked very well together. I like Bibi a lot. And I work very well with him,” Trump added.
Shared goals on Iran and Hezbollah
During the CNBC interview, Netanyahu said both Washington and Tel Aviv remained committed to curbing the influence of Hezbollah, which he described as an Iranian proxy operating from Lebanon.“Hezbollah is an Iranian proxy that puts all the citizens of Lebanon at gunpoint and uses Lebanon as a platform to launch terror missiles into our cities,” Netanyahu said.He argued that any long-term peace arrangement between Israel and Lebanon would require Hezbollah to be disarmed and Lebanon to be demilitarised.“If we want to save Lebanon and achieve a Lebanese-Israeli peace, we have to disarm Hezbollah,” he said.
Netanyahu calls Trump Israel’s ‘greatest friend’
Rejecting suggestions that the relationship between the two leaders had deteriorated, Netanyahu praised Trump for his support of Israel.“No,” Netanyahu said when asked if his relationship with Trump had changed.“This has been a great relationship because he’s been the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House,” he added.Netanyahu pointed to Trump’s past decisions, including recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and supporting Israel on key regional issues, as examples of that support.The exchange comes amid ongoing efforts by the United States to balance military tensions in the region with diplomatic negotiations involving Iran.While Trump has expressed optimism about progress in talks linked to Iran and a broader regional settlement, the continued fighting in Lebanon has emerged as a major point of concern.Despite the differences over tactics, both leaders have publicly maintained that they remain committed to common security objectives and to finding a path towards regional stability.
