- By Aashish Vashistha
- Mon, 16 Dec 2024 08:24 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Israeli Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Sunday that he had a "very warm" phone conversation with US President-elect Donald Trump. During the call, they discussed the ongoing war in Gaza and Israel's position on Syria. Netanyahu expressed his appreciation for the strong relationship between Israel and the United States, which is expected to strengthen under Trump's leadership.
Following the call, Netanyahu released a video statement highlighting the key points of his conversation with Trump. The Israeli Prime Minister said that they covered several topics, including Israel’s commitment to preventing Hezbollah, based in Lebanon, from rearming, as well as the ongoing conflict with Hamas, which has resulted in nearly 45,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza.
“I discussed all of this again last night with my friend, US President-elect Donald Trump,” Netanyahu said. “It was a very friendly, very warm and critical conversation. We spoke about the need to complete Israel’s victory, and we also spoke at length about the efforts we are making to free our hostages,” Netanyahu added.
Netanyahu reaffirmed his commitment to "work relentlessly to bring our hostages back, both the living and the deceased." He further emphasized, "The less we speak of it, the better, and with God's guidance, we will prevail."
In his address, Netanyahu discussed the situation in Syria, particularly the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad's government by rebel groups. He emphasized that Israel has no desire for conflict with Syria and would adapt its policies based on the evolving situation on the ground.
While Israel has consistently stated that its actions in the disputed Golan Heights are temporary, Netanyahu reiterated that the country has no intention of intervening in Syria's internal affairs.
However, the Israeli PM criticized Syria for permitting Iran to use its territory to supply Hezbollah with weapons. Netanyahu called this an ongoing challenge for Israel, vowing to meet it head-on. He issued a direct warning to Hezbollah and Iran, asserting that Israel would continue to take necessary action to prevent any threat to its security, acting whenever and wherever required.