Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed back Monday against suggestions that his relationship with President Donald Trump has been damaged, telling Fox News that while the two leaders have had disagreements, they remain close allies who largely share the same goals.
Netanyahu addressed the issue during a one-on-one interview with Fox News host Brian Kilmeade on Fox & Friends, where the conversation focused on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the state of U.S.-Israel relations.
Kilmeade asked the Israeli leader directly whether his relationship with Trump was showing signs of strain, pointing to the president’s recent public criticism of both Netanyahu and Israel.
“Mr. Prime Minister, is the relationship with the president under strain right now?” Kilmeade asked. “He’s been pretty direct in some of his criticism of you and of Israel. Some of the aggression against Hezbollah. And your thoughts about that?”
Netanyahu dismissed the notion that the alliance between the two leaders has fundamentally changed, saying the two governments remain aligned on nearly every major issue despite occasional disagreements.
“Well, first of all, we see eye-to-eye on just about everything,” Netanyahu said. “And sometimes this happens among the best of allies. And we are the best of allies. There can be differences of opinion.”
The Israeli prime minister went on to explain that disagreements between allies are not unusual and said he and Trump generally address those differences through direct conversations.
“We usually speak about it in open conversation,” Netanyahu said. “You can imagine the president has his way of expressing things and so do I, but we’re allies.”
Netanyahu also emphasized what he described as Israel’s strong relationship with the United States, calling Israel America’s “model ally” in the region.
“We are your model ally,” he said. “And we respect the United States of America.”
He continued by highlighting Israel’s democratic system and public support for the United States, saying the country stands apart in the region.
“If you come to Israel, it is the one nation here in this region that is not only a democracy but a democracy in which the overwhelming majority of the people unabashedly support the United States of America,” Netanyahu said.
The prime minister concluded by expressing confidence that any disagreements with Trump could be resolved.
“So my relationship is fine, and we have a way of ironing out our differences as allies who respect each other,” he said.
Questions about the relationship between the two leaders have surfaced after Trump publicly criticized Netanyahu on several occasions over the past two months, particularly regarding Israel’s military actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon while the United States has been attempting to broker peace with Iran.
Earlier this month, Trump reportedly reacted angrily after Netanyahu authorized a strike against a Hezbollah target in Beirut. According to the report, the president said, “Why did Bibi have to do a f*cking attack?” following the operation.
Trump also voiced criticism during the G7 Summit in Paris, where he suggested to reporters that Syria could do a better job confronting Hezbollah fighters operating in Lebanon.
Despite those public remarks, Netanyahu maintained during Monday’s interview that the U.S.-Israel alliance remains strong and that his personal relationship with Trump continues to be on solid footing, even when the two leaders disagree over specific military or diplomatic decisions.
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