US elections 2024: Benjamin Netanyahu congratulates Trump
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has congratulated Donald Trump on “a huge victory” as he looked set to retake the White House on November 6th, according to MiddleEastEye.
Before Trump obtained the final electoral votes to officially declare victory, Netanyahu addressed both Trump and his wife Melania on X hailing the result as “history’s greatest comeback”.
He said: “Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America.”
Signing off, he said: “In true friendship, yours, Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu.”
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Israel’s 13-month war on Gaza has put US-Israel ties under serious pressure.
While the Biden administration has continued to provide military and diplomatic support, Washington has recently been signalling its disapproval of the situation.
Only last month the White House told Netanyahu he had 30 days to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza or risk losing US military aid.
Since last October, US military aid has amounted to $17.9bn
Trump reportedly told Netanyahu last month that he needed to end the war by the time he returns to office, assuming he would win.
The former US president was apparently repeating comments he had shared in July when the two met for the first time in four years at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.
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The Trump victory comes after the Israeli army failed to make an incursion in Lebanon’s southern border village of al-Khiam, after nearly a week of fierce clashes with Hezbollah, according to Levantis.me.
On November 3rd, Hezbollah’s television channel al-Manar said the city was now “completely devoid of any Israeli soldier,” including its eastern section, where heavy fighting took place.
The Israeli army meanwhile announced the killing of Hezbollah commander in the Khiam region Farouk Amin al-Assi as well as the killing of a Hezbollah special forces unit commander.
An Israeli military spokesman said Assi was responsible for carrying out rocket and anti-tank missile attacks on the Galilee and Metula areas.
Brig. Gen. Hassan Jouni, former deputy chief of staff of operations in the Lebanese Armed Forces, says it is still unclear what Israel’s next step will be.
He said it is evident Israel does not want to become engaged in intense clashes and incur heavy losses.
The objective of the first phase of Israel’s ground operation in Lebanon now, according to Israeli sources, coming to an end was to destroy frontline villages to make them exposed, Jouni believes.
However, following Israel’s announcement that it was fortifying settlements near the border with Lebanon, a coming offensive seems less likely.
Jouni said: “Does that mean that they will fortify the settlements rather than carry out an incursion in Lebanon?”
“The picture is not clear, but talk of the first phase is either aimed at confusing Hezbollah or leaving the situation open for the Israeli army.”
MiddleEastEye, Levantis.me and Agencies
