Former U.S. president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, Jan. 28, 2020. (Credit: Mandel Ngan/AFP)
"Do what you have to do," the former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump reportedly said to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, regarding Israel's offensives in Gaza and Lebanon.
The Washington Post reports this, citing six sources (who preferred to remain anonymous) familiar with the details of a phone call between the two men earlier this month.
On Wednesday Oct. 23, Trump boasted of his almost daily conversations with Netanyahu, saying that he has a “very good relationship” with the Israeli Prime Minister. Trump had already mentioned a telephone conversation between the two men, assuring that the Israeli leader wanted to “know [his] point of view on issues.” It was during one of these discussions that Trump reportedly told Netanyahu: “Do what you have to do.”
According to Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who has also spoken with Netanyahu over the past month, Trump “didn't tell” the Israeli Prime Minister what he should do militarily, but expressed his admiration, particularly for the operation to simultaneously detonate thousands of booby-trapped beepers in Hezbollah hands on Sept. 17.
A Netanyahu advisor declined to comment on the allegations to the Washington Post.
This stance by the Republican candidate could damage his popularity rating among voters of Arab origin, who are already highly polarized with less than two weeks to go before the presidential election.
