Donald Trump issued an open plea on June 28 to Israeli prosecutors to drop their ongoing corruption trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warning it could “interfere” with high-stakes negotiations between Hamas and Iran for hostage release agreements in Gaza. Trump posted his plea on Truth Social. Trump called out these cases against Netanyahu as being political witch hunts, calling on authorities to let Bibi go in order to facilitate ceasefire agreements and release of hostages – without his participation or cooperation – or face penalties from Hamas or Iran. for this article see: quotidien +6reuters +6 timesofindia +6
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Netanyahu has been on trial since May 2020 on three sets of charges including bribery, fraud and breach of trust. In a weekend post by President Donald Trump he condemned what he referred to as an act of insanity in subjecting Netanyahu to court appearances while “negotiating a deal with Hamas which includes retrieving hostages”. Economic Times reports this weekend on these trials
Trump stressed the importance of Israel being treated fairly by America during a crucial diplomatic moment. ft.com/news.com.au.
Netanyahu thanked Trump for his strong backing of Israel and highlighted their mutual dedication to regional security.
But Trump’s intervention provoked considerable backlash: Israeli courts this week denied Prime Minister Netanyahu’s latest bid to postpone his trial, citing insufficient grounds, even as his legal team claimed pressing geopolitical considerations as justification. Reuters.com + The Daily Beast + The Guardian.
Domestically, critics accused Trump of interfering in Israeli judicial independence. Opposition leader Yair Lapid and others stressed that no individual is above the rule of law in Israel.
Donald Trump’s intervention can also be understood in light of U.S. political dynamics: as a prominent GOP contender, he leveraged his Middle East diplomacy positions to increase conservative and evangelical voter appeal and resist “witch hunts” during legal proceedings – something which aligns perfectly with his signature rhetoric against them. For more details see timesofindia.indiatimes.com +1 and economictimes.indiatimes.com (+1).
Media reports indicate the stakes for these diplomatic efforts are high. Media outlets report that Netanyahu is engaged in indirect talks–mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the U.S.–with Hamas to negotiate an end to hostage-taking. Trump and Netanyahu’s allies have suggested that concluding these negotiations may be delayed or derailed if trial proceedings continue; Its news.com.au, JPost.com and Reuters provide coverage.
Recent joint U.S. and Israeli airstrikes against Iranian nuclear sites have further escalated regional tensions. Donald Trump celebrated these strikes as “devastating”, and claimed they disrupted Iran’s nuclear ambitions (sources include TimesofIsrael.com, APN News Service and Reuter’s).
Netanyahu used this momentum to focus international attention on brokering a hostage deal.
Still, Israel’s judiciary remains firm: judges maintain that Netanyahu must fulfill his legal obligations; without conviction yet they uphold his right to continue serving while insisting the proceedings will go on. Wirtschaftstimes.com/m.economictimes-n/268151818-1/9/10 reuters-com/m-economictimes
Trump’s call adds another layer to an unfolding geopolitical and domestic drama: as Prime Minister Netanyahu grapples with legal allegations, security threats and diplomatic proposals from Hamas in Gaza, hostages held captive there and efforts for a temporary, mediated ceasefire hang in the balance.