Trump pokes at Netanyahu, says Biden ‘doesn’t like you’ in speech to pro-Israel group

Former US president Donald Trump took a shot at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for being quick to congratulate Joe Biden on winning the White House in 2020, while appearing to claim that the US president “doesn’t like” Jewish supporters of Israel.

Speaking Monday to the Israel Heritage Foundation, a conservative group that supports Israeli building in the West Bank, Trump also singled out Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer and other unnamed Jewish lawmakers for not being sufficiently supportive of Israel, returning to themes previously decried for edging into antisemitic territory.

“Biden doesn’t like you, that I can tell you, he won’t even see Netanyahu,” Trump told the largely supportive group gathered at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. The comments were first posted online Wednesday.

It was unclear if “you” referred to the crowd, Jewish people in general, or Israelis. Trump has come under fire in the past for conflating Jewishness with loyalty to Israel; accusations of Jewish fealty to a foreign state are often considered antisemitic.

His comments referenced increasing unease with Israel’s government that have been broadcast by Washington in recent months as Netanyahu, backed by a coalition of far-right and ultra-Orthodox politicians, has plowed ahead with a controversial set of changes to the country’s judiciary that have sparked mass protests. Last week, outgoing US ambassador Tom Nides told the Wall Street Journal that he had warned Netanyahu against “rushing things through that ultimately could have huge implications, at least perception-wise, about what makes Israel great.”

Biden has discounted the possibility of an invitation for Netanyahu to the White House in the near term. On Wednesday, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman reported that the US administration was re-assessing its stance toward Israel.

Speaking off the cuff but repeating many of the same stories that have become fixtures at his appearances, Trump reprised the made-up accusation that Netanyahu was first to congratulate Biden on winning the presidency, which the former US president, who is again running for the White House, still falsely claims was rigged.

“[Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu was the first person to call him — that made me feel great,” Trump said sarcastically.

“He was the first person to call, and they won’t even see Netanyahu — that’s how low it’s come,” he added, in a subtle jab at the premier.

In actuality, Netanyahu tweeted congratulations to Biden nearly a week after the election, and after many other leaders had spoken to the then-president elect.

The claim that Biden’s blackballing of Netanyahu reflects a negative stance toward Israel could backfire on the ex-president, who has shown little love for Netanyahu in the last two years. After leaving office, he fumed at Netanyahu for congratulating Biden, telling an Israeli reporter in 2021 that “He was very early — like, earlier than most. I haven’t spoken to him since. Fuck him.”

The New York-based Israel Heritage Foundation is led by a number of figures tied to Trump, and the organization has made pushing Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank one of its main goals. Among its officer is Dr. Joseph Frager, a well-connected conservative political operative who is a major supporter of the settlement of Beit El and who has also registered as a lobbyist for Qatar, according to the Forward.