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Donald Trump during a speech in Florida on October 11: he is considered the favorite for the Republican presidential nomination
Photograph:
Cristobal Herrera-Ulashkevich v EPA
According to Donald Trump's portrayals, he was the greatest defender of Israel ever to sit in the White House. Now the former US president has used a speech to supporters in Florida to present his view of the large-scale attack by Hamas. His interpretations are causing outrage.
For example, Trump links the attack by Hamas terrorists to the claim that the 2020 U.S. presidential election was rigged. "If the elections hadn't been rigged," he said, "no one would even think about going to Israel." Of course, there is no evidence for this – nor for his narrative, which has been widespread since the election defeat by Joe Biden, that the 2020 vote was rigged and that he was the legitimate president.
Trump was also critical of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his speech. He had a bad experience with the Israeli head of government in 2020, Trump said. He was referring to the drone strike that the U.S. used to kill influential Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in neighboring Iraq. According to Trump, Israel had provided the US with intelligence on the matter, but then withdrew.
"I will never forget that Bibi Netanyahu abandoned us. It was a very horrible thing," Trump said. Later, Netanyahu tried to claim the success for himself. The targeted killing of the general had been sharply criticized internationally, fueling fears of Iranian retaliation and a new war in the Middle East. Netanyahu nevertheless thanked Trump at the time for his "decisive, powerful and swift action."
Trump had previously distinguished himself as a critic of Netanyahu. He was particularly upset that Israeli Prime Minister congratulated Biden on his election victory, he once told Axios reporter Barak Ravid. In an interview with Fox News Radio, which is expected to air on Thursday, Trump also accused the Israeli authorities of not having been prepared for the Hamas attack.
In an excerpt from that interview, which aired on television Wednesday, Trump said Netanyahu was not prepared and Israel was not prepared. The question of how the Israeli security apparatus could have missed Hamas' preparation is likely to arise more often in the coming weeks.
Trump also had a lot to say about the situation on Israel's northern border. He said he had learned that Biden's security guards had said that northern Israel was the most vulnerable spot. "I said, 'Wait a minute, Hezbollah is very smart. They're all very clever.' The press doesn't like it when I say that."
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Trump's rival for the Republican presidential nomination, sharply criticized the ex-president's remarks. It is "absurd" that someone who wants to become president now attacks the US ally and friend Israel and calls Hezbollah smart, he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). According to media reports, Biden's campaign accused Trump of spreading dangerous misinformation.
Trump's spokesman Steven Cheung justified his boss's words, according to the Washington Post. Trump wanted to criticize President Joe Biden's administration. U.S. officials had given Hezbollah the idea of attacking Israel from the north with certain statements. In addition, "smart" does not mean "good".
Since the beginning of the war, there has been growing concern that Hezbollah could open a second front against Israel. This has not happened so far, but there have been attacks, such as rocket fire.
asc/dpa