Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone with former United States President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Saturday, October 19. During the call, Netanyahu reaffirmed the primacy of Israel's interests over U.S. warnings regarding its offensive in countries like Lebanon and Palestine.
According to a spokesperson for Netanyahu, Israel takes into account the concerns raised by the U.S. Administration but will ultimately make decisions based on its national interests. Trump, in turn, confirmed at a rally in Pennsylvania that he had spoken with Netanyahu after the failed drone attack attributed to Hezbollah against the Israeli leader's residence in Caesarea, Israel.
During the event, Trump praised Netanyahu for his stance, stating that Israel is in a better position than it was three months ago because the Prime Minister does not follow President Joe Biden's advice. Last Thursday, Biden called Netanyahu to congratulate him on the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and to discuss the possibility of negotiating the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza.
After Sinwar's death, Netanyahu declared in a video message that Israel remains engaged in a "resurrection war" and did not mention the possibility of a ceasefire, suggesting an exit for Hamas militants who surrender their weapons and release hostages. Israel's offensive continues, with a recent attack in Gaza that resulted in the death of at least 87 people and plans to target Hezbollah's economic wing, which could trigger future attacks in Lebanon.