United States President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are once again reported to be at odds over the handling of the Iran matter. The latest report suggests that Netanyahu was reportedly caught off guard after Trump announced that he had cancelled planned military strikes against Tehran and said a peace agreement could be signed within days.
Netanyahu 'Caught By Surprise' After Trump’s U-Turn
According to a report by Axios, Netanyahu was not informed in advance before Trump made the public announcement. The report said the Israeli leader was "caught by surprise" when Trump revealed that Iran had approved a draft framework agreement aimed at reducing tensions and extending the ceasefire. Despite earlier warning of a military response against Iran, Trump on Thursday night announced that the planned strikes and bombings were cancelled following high-level discussions approved by Iranian leadership and other international stakeholders.
Netanyahu Left In The Dark?
Axios reported that Trump spoke with Netanyahu, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and several regional leaders before finalising the draft agreement. Despite the conversation, the report said Netanyahu was not given advance notice about Trump's public announcement. According to Axios, the Israeli PM has recently been relying on allies close to the Trump administration to gather information about ongoing US-Iran negotiations.
Shortly after Trump's announcement, Netanyahu's office issued a statement saying that Israel was "not a party to the memorandum of understanding" between Washington and Tehran.
Another Fallout?
This is not the first-time reports of differences between Trump and Netanyahu have surfaced. Over the past several months, several reports have pointed to growing disagreements between the two leaders over how to deal with Iran and the conflict in the Middle East. Both leaders appear to have different objectives regarding Iran. Trump has increasingly shown interest in ending the conflict ahead of the US midterm election. Netanyahu, on the other hand, has continued to push for a more aggressive approach toward Iran and its regional allies, including Hezbollah.
ALSO READ: Trump Cancels Planned Strikes On Iran Amid Tehran’s Fierce Warning, Says 'Talks Have Progressed'
Tense Phone Call
The differences between the two leaders have occasionally become public. Last week, Netanyahu reportedly ordered strikes on Iran despite Trump's request to avoid escalation. Trump later urged both Israel and Iran to "immediately stop shooting." According to reports, tensions also surfaced during an expletive-filled phone call in which Trump criticised Netanyahu over Israel's military actions in Lebanon.
Axios reported that Trump became frustrated with the Israeli leader and questioned Israel's actions during the conflict. Speaking on a New York Post podcast, Trump later acknowledged that he had called Netanyahu "fucking crazy" and accused him of being ungrateful.
The report further added that Trump got "pissed" with the Israeli leader and asked him, "What the fuck are you doing?" The report further quoted Trump as saying, "You'd be in prison if it weren't for me. I'm saving your ass. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this."
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