Others accuse US president of interfering in Israel’s judicial system after he said case against PM was a ‘witch hunt’
Benjamin Netanyahu has thanked Donald Trump after the US president publicly called for the Israeli prime minister’s long-running corruption trial to be cancelled.
Trump on Wednesday posted a lengthy diatribe against the trial, which could lead to a prison sentence for his ally, describing a “ridiculous witch hunt” that was an “unheard of … horror show” and showering praise on Netanyahu for his leadership of Israel during the short war with Iran that was ended by a ceasefire earlier this week.
Netanyahu, whose relationship with Trump was reported to have been under strain until the recent conflict, thanked the president for his “heartfelt support for me and your incredible support for Israel and the Jewish people”.
“I look forward to continue working with you to defeat our common enemies, liberate our hostages and quickly expand the circle of peace,” Netanyahu wrote on X, sharing a copy of Trump’s Truth Social post.
Israeli opposition politicians criticised Trump’s unexpected intervention in one of the most controversial legal processes in their country for many years.
Yair Lapid, the leader of the Yesh Atid party, said Israel was grateful to Trump for support in the war with Iran, during which US planes bombed two Iranian nuclear facilities. But he criticised “interference in the legal process” and suggested Trump was offering Netanyahu support before pressuring him to make concessions to reach a new ceasefire in the 20-month war in Gaza.
Gilad Kariv, a parliamentarian from the Democrats party, said: “The Jewish tradition teaches us that no person is above the law. Not even a prime minister.”
In his post, Trump described Netanyahu as a warrior like no other in the history of Israel. “Bibi and I just went through HELL together, fighting a very tough and brilliant longtime enemy of Israel, Iran, and Bibi could not have been better, sharper, or stronger in his LOVE for the incredible Holy Land,” Trump said on Wednesday night, using a nickname for the Israeli leader.
Read More: Netanyahu thanks Trump for public call to cancel his corruption trial
