Netanyahu Touts U.S.-Israel Alliance, Gaza Goals, and Trump’s Legacy in Wide-Ranging Fox News Interview”
In a high-profile interview with Fox News’ Mark Levin aired Saturday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shed light on Israel’s ongoing military operations, regional diplomacy, and his enduring alliance with former President Donald Trump—whom he hailed as a historic partner and peacemaker.
Netanyahu opened the interview by reiterating his nomination of Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his pivotal role in brokering the Abraham Accords and defusing global flashpoints. “If anyone deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, it’s President Trump—maybe even four of them,” Netanyahu quipped, referencing Trump’s mediation efforts from the Middle East to Africa and South Asia.
A Region Transformed: “Peace Through Strength”
The Prime Minister described a dramatic shift in Middle East dynamics, revealing the existence of numerous diplomatic channels—secret and public—driven by Arab states’ growing recognition of shared threats, especially Iran. This openness, Netanyahu said, reflects a rising consensus around the doctrine of “peace through strength.”
Striking Iran: A Preemptive Defense
On Israel’s recent strikes in Iran, Netanyahu offered a stark justification: “We took out two lumps of cancer,” referring to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic infrastructure. He emphasized that inaction would have placed Israel—a nation “the size of New Jersey”—under existential threat. Israel, he said, had already delayed Iran’s nuclear progress by a decade, but recent escalations demanded decisive preemptive action.
Hamas: “Double War Crimes” and Hostage Updates
Shifting to Gaza, Netanyahu described Hamas’s October 7th attacks as brutal and deliberate: “Targeting civilians. Rape. Murder. Decapitation. Filming it all with GoPros.” He contrasted this with Israel’s efforts to minimize civilian harm, despite Hamas’s alleged use of human shields and stolen aid.
Netanyahu also provided an update on hostage negotiations, stating that 148 hostages—both living and deceased—have been returned, with 20 believed alive and 30 dead still held.
“We’re now negotiating a deal for half the remaining hostages,” he said, noting U.S. support during his recent Washington meetings. He stressed that any final deal would need to ensure Hamas no longer controls Gaza, vowing: “They’re not going to be there any more than the Nazi SS remained in Germany.”
“No Daylight” With Trump’s America
Netanyahu reserved some of his strongest praise for Donald Trump, calling their relationship “a real partnership with mutual respect.” He emphasized Trump’s strategic clarity, particularly on Iran, and said the U.S. military’s direct support—such as B-2 bomber strikes—had “projected American power and resolve around the world.”
He dismissed alarmist warnings of a wider war: “World War III? Nonsense. Folly.” Under Trump, he said, U.S.-Israel coordination reached historic levels, including intelligence sharing that “saved many American lives.”
Looking Ahead: A Post-Hamas Vision
Netanyahu ended on a hopeful note, predicting a future Middle East marked by economic growth, technological innovation, and regional partnerships—“if Iran is kept in check.” He said the fall of Hamas and containment of Iran would lead to “terrific growth” and a transformed region.
“We’ve won a great victory,” Netanyahu concluded, “and now we must secure it—for Israel, and for peace in the region.”In a high-profile interview with Fox News’ Mark Levin aired Saturday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shed light on Israel’s ongoing military operations, regional diplomacy, and his enduring alliance with former President Donald Trump—whom he hailed as a historic partner and peacemaker.
Netanyahu opened the interview by reiterating his nomination of Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his pivotal role in brokering the Abraham Accords and defusing global flashpoints. “If anyone deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, it’s President Trump—maybe even four of them,” Netanyahu quipped, referencing Trump’s mediation efforts from the Middle East to Africa and South Asia.
A Region Transformed: “Peace Through Strength”
The Prime Minister described a dramatic shift in Middle East dynamics, revealing the existence of numerous diplomatic channels—secret and public—driven by Arab states’ growing recognition of shared threats, especially Iran. This openness, Netanyahu said, reflects a rising consensus around the doctrine of “peace through strength.”
Striking Iran: A Preemptive Defense
On Israel’s recent strikes in Iran, Netanyahu offered a stark justification: “We took out two lumps of cancer,” referring to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic infrastructure. He emphasized that inaction would have placed Israel—a nation “the size of New Jersey”—under existential threat. Israel, he said, had already delayed Iran’s nuclear progress by a decade, but recent escalations demanded decisive preemptive action.
Hamas: “Double War Crimes” and Hostage Updates
Shifting to Gaza, Netanyahu described Hamas’s October 7th attacks as brutal and deliberate: “Targeting civilians. Rape. Murder. Decapitation. Filming it all with GoPros.” He contrasted this with Israel’s efforts to minimize civilian harm, despite Hamas’s alleged use of human shields and stolen aid.
Netanyahu also provided an update on hostage negotiations, stating that 148 hostages—both living and deceased—have been returned, with 20 believed alive and 30 dead still held.
“We’re now negotiating a deal for half the remaining hostages,” he said, noting U.S. support during his recent Washington meetings. He stressed that any final deal would need to ensure Hamas no longer controls Gaza, vowing: “They’re not going to be there any more than the Nazi SS remained in Germany.”
“No Daylight” With Trump’s America
Netanyahu reserved some of his strongest praise for Donald Trump, calling their relationship “a real partnership with mutual respect.” He emphasized Trump’s strategic clarity, particularly on Iran, and said the U.S. military’s direct support—such as B-2 bomber strikes—had “projected American power and resolve around the world.”
He dismissed alarmist warnings of a wider war: “World War III? Nonsense. Folly.” Under Trump, he said, U.S.-Israel coordination reached historic levels, including intelligence sharing that “saved many American lives.”
Looking Ahead: A Post-Hamas Vision
Netanyahu ended on a hopeful note, predicting a future Middle East marked by economic growth, technological innovation, and regional partnerships—“if Iran is kept in check.” He said the fall of Hamas and containment of Iran would lead to “terrific growth” and a transformed region.
“We’ve won a great victory,” Netanyahu concluded, “and now we must secure it—for Israel, and for peace in the region.”
