From the Liveblog of
Saturday, March 8, 2025
Netanyahu offers belated thanks to Trump after tensions over Hamas meeting
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Amid the most significant signs of strain between Washington and Jerusalem since Donald Trump returned to office, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offers public thanks to the US president for backing Israel against Hamas.
“Thank you President Trump for once again boldly supporting Israel in our just war against the monstrous Hamas terrorists,” writes Netanyahu on X, sharing a Thursday post by Trump in which he again warns Hamas that if it doesn’t free the hostages it is holding in Gaza, “there will be hell to pay later.”
Trump also shared photos of his White House meeting with eight released Israeli hostages.
Thank you President Trump for once again boldly supporting Israel in our just war against the monstrous Hamas terrorists. https://t.co/n49QOk3zsH
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) March 8, 2025
The Netanyahu post — which comes days after a top confidant “lashed out” at the US hostage envoy for meeting with a senior Hamas delegation in Doha — could be an attempt to smooth out any simmering bad feelings between the sides. Netanyahu and his government have sought assiduously to avoid any public daylight between the two allies.
The Times of Israel Community.