"Free Bibi": Trump threatens to cut aid to Israel if justice doesn't pardon Netanyahu
The US president believes his Israeli partner is suffering a "witch hunt."
BarcelonaIsraeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday expressed his gratitude for the message his US counterpart Donald Trump posted on social media the night before, in which he expressed his support for a possible pardon for Netanyahu, currently on trial for several corruption charges.
Trump wrote: "Free Bibi, he has a great job ahead of him!" referring to the Israeli leader by his nickname. In response, Netanyahu posted this Sunday morning on the X platform: "Thanks again, @realDonaldTrump. Together we will Make the Middle East Great Again!"
Trump's message, published on Saturday, adopted a more forceful tone than in previous interventions. He described the Israeli, whom he described as a "war hero" and a key leader in the collaboration with the US to curb the alleged Iranian nuclear threat. Witch hunts driven by the Democratic Party: "He sits around all day for nothing." He faces criminal proceedings. He is charged with three crimes: bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in three separate cases. The common thread of the accusations is the use of his relationships with powerful magnates—with influence over the media—for personal and political gain.
The US President also highlighted that Netanyahu is now immersed in in negotiations with Hamas for an agreement that would include the release of hostagesThese statements come after Trump said that a truce agreement in Gaza could be finalized within a week, a forecast denied by Israeli sources to the media. In fact, a proposed agreement has been on the table for months. Hamas Islamists have expressed their willingness to release all hostages, but in return they demand an end to Israeli attacks and the withdrawal of troops from the Gaza Strip, conditions Netanyahu rejects.
This Sunday, the Forum, which represents the majority of the hostages' families, once again called for an agreement. After the government decided that there were no obstacles to residents of areas near Gaza returning to their homes, the Forum responded bluntly in a statement: "So there are also no impediments to ending the fighting in the Strip."
The families assert that "the mission of defeating Hamas has been completed" and that "Israel has succeeded in eliminating the threat." In their view, this opens the door to reaching "a comprehensive agreement for the return of the 50 hostages still held in Gaza," some alive and others deceased.
