Netanyahu, Lapid rebuke Ben-Gvir for saying Israel would be better off with Trump in White House

'Instead of giving us his full backing, Biden is busy with giving humanitarian aid and fuel, which goes to Hamas. If Trump was in power, the U.S. conduct would be completely different,' Ben-Gvir said.

By Jotam Confino in Israel 5 February 2024, 3:06 pm

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (C) at the scene of the crime after 7 people were killed in an armed attack in Jewish settlement at East Jerusalem. About 7 people were killed in an armed attack carried out by a Palestinian on a Jewish synagogue in Neve Yaakov settlement. (Credit Image: © Saeed Qaq/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire) EDITORIAL USAGE ONLY! Not for Commercial USAGE!

Both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Opposition Leader Yair Lapid rebuked National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for saying Israel would have been better off with Donald Trump in the White House during the war with Hamas.

“Instead of giving us his full backing, Biden is busy with giving humanitarian aid and fuel, which goes to Hamas. If Trump was in power, the U.S. conduct would be completely different,” Ben-Gvir told Wall Street Journal.

Ben-Gvir’s comments to the WSJ came just days after he lashed out at Biden on X, saying: “It is time for America to rethink its policy in Judea and Samaria (West Bank). President Biden is wrong about the citizens of the State of Israel and the heroic settlers,” he said, referring to Washington’s decision to sanctions four settlers with a violent past.

Netanyahu fired back at Ben-Gvir during Sunday’s government meeting, saying: “I am not in need of any assistance in navigating our relations with the US and the international community while steadfastly upholding our national interests. Thank God, I have been doing this for a few years.”

“We greatly appreciate the support that we have received from the Biden administration since the outbreak of the war: In weaponry, at international institutions, in sending forces to the region, and more. This is not to say that there are no disagreements among us but as of today we have succeeded in overcoming them with determined and balanced decisions,” he added.

Lapid said he would call on the prime minister to restrain Ben-Gvir, “but Netanyahu has no control over the extremists in his government.”

Ben-Gvir’s comments are “harmful to Israel’s security and above all proves that [Ben-Gvir] understands nothing about foreign policy,” Lapid added.

National Unity party leader and war cabinet member Benny Gantz also lashed out at Ben-Gvir, saying his remarks caused “tremendous damage to Israel’s foreign relations.”

Biden has previously said that Netanyahu’s government has “some of the most extreme” member he has seen in his political career.