From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Netanyahu and Huckabee mock conspiracy theories about PM’s death: ‘Yes, Mike, I’m alive’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to mock conspiracy theories about his death in a new video with US Ambassador Mike Huckabee.
US President Donald Trump “wanted me to come and make sure you were ok,” says Huckabee with a laugh as the two walk through Netanyahu’s office.
“Yes, Mike, I’m alive,” responds Netanyahu.
Trump wanted to make sure, says Huckabee, “because you guys get along too well.”
“We shake hands with five fingers in each hand,” says Netanyahu, referencing false claims on social media that recent videos were AI-generated because they showed the premier with too many fingers.
Netanyahu pulls out a card that he says is a list of senior Iranian leaders Israel is targeting. “Today I erased two names on the punch card,” he says, referencing Iran’s Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani and Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani, both killed overnight.
“What the president and US forces are doing is incredible,” says Netanyahu, “and we are very proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them, and getting rid of these lunatics who would like to develop nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them to every American city after wiping out Israel.”
“They ain’t gonna do that,” he concludes. “We’re wiping them out.”
Crossing names off the list is good – doing it shoulder to shoulder with our American friends is even better.
Good to see Ambassador @GovMikeHuckabee. Always a pleasure.
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— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) March 17, 2026
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