An Israeli official said Thursday that Prime Minister Netanyahu's meeting with President Trump was an 'exchange of ideas' on Iran, and that Netanyahu refrained from advocating for a strike on Iran as he had in previous meetings. However, the official said Netanyahu would not wait for a US green light if Iran attacks Israel. The official described the relationship between the two leaders as like a 'married couple' who 'finish each other's sentences,' according to the Times of Israel.
The Times of Israel reported early Thursday that an Israeli official provided new details on Prime Minister Netanyahu's Oval Office meeting with President Trump, characterizing the discussions as an 'exchange of ideas' on Iran. The official said Netanyahu refrained from advocating for a strike on Iran, a departure from previous meetings, but made clear that Israel would not wait for a US green light if Iran attacks.
The report adds color to the account first published by The Zioneer on Wednesday evening, which cited an Israeli official saying the meeting did not advance a specific Iran strategy. The new details include the 'married couple' description of the Netanyahu-Trump relationship.
The meeting occurred amid a period of reported friction between the two leaders over Iran policy. Earlier this year, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump complained to aides that Netanyahu wants to 'bomb everyone,' and Trump has urged Netanyahu to accept an Iran deal and avoid military action, as The Zioneer reported in June. The new report suggests a more cordial dynamic in the Oval Office, at least in the official's account.
The account remains a single-source report, with no immediate confirmation from US officials.
2 developments
- DevelopingIsraeli official: Netanyahu did not advance specific Iran strategy in Trump meeting, only 'exchange of ideas'
- DevelopingTrump told Netanyahu in advance he would not strike Iran, new call details show
- StrongSenior official: Netanyahu-Trump meeting 'very positive,' Iran nuclear consensus reaffirmed
- DevelopingSenior Israeli official: Netanyahu told Trump he understands his Iran efforts but Israel must not be a victim
Source and signal
- Open-source intake