Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with US President Donald Trump on April 7 was described in Israel both as an embarrassing failure and a brilliant success, depending on the identity of the commentator, and his/her prior expectations.
According to media reports, Netanyahu’s impromptu April 6 trip from Budapest – where he was on an official visit – to Washington, reportedly on a spur-of-the-moment invitation by Trump, was designed primarily to deal with the effect on Israel of Trump’s declared worldwide trade war. But it also dealt with the issue of Iran’s nuclear capability, the continuing war in the Gaza Strip, and the hostage issue.
Against this background of expectations, what actually transpired in the Trump-Netanyahu talks, followed by a meeting with the American and Israeli media, suggested that from an Israeli perspective, the event was a total failure.
First of all, Trump refused to back off from the 17% tariff he had imposed on Israeli exports to the US, adding a comment that Israel should not complain but be grateful for $4 billion of military aid it receives annually from the US.
Regarding Iran’s nuclear plans, Trump announced that the US was about to open direct talks with the Iranian government on the following Saturday, April 12. Trump added that if the talks would fail, Iran “will be in great danger” – implying that there would be an attack on Iran, but adding that Israel would “be the leader” in such an attack.
(Illustrative) A silhouette over an Iranian flag. (credit: SHUTTERSTOCK)
As is well known, Netanyahu has always been against negotiations and agreements with Iran about its nuclear activities, preferring the use of force to destroy Iran’s nuclear ambitions. It was Netanyahu who had convinced Trump, during his first term as president, to back out of the agreement signed by president Barack Obama with Iran.
Netanyahu apparently heard about the new talks with Iran just before he and Trump met the media. However, this did not prevent his glum facial expression, while Trump gleefully informed the press of the prospective talks.
On the one hand, Trump used the hostage issue to give Netanyahu what seemed like a backhanded compliment, suggesting that the latter is doing his utmost to release the hostages, and ought to be appreciated for this in Israel “because he’s been a great leader.” (In fact, most Israelis do not believe that Netanyahu is doing his utmost on this issue.)
On the other hand, what the president said about Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan appeared as a careless blow below the belt. Trump commented that he likes Erdogan, and that Erdogan likes him, even though Erdogan had declared in a mosque in Istanbul the previous week that “I wish that destruction and ruin will befall Israel and Zionism, following what it is doing in Palestine.”
In addition, Erdogan repeatedly refers to Israel as a “terrorist state” that threatens “the stability of the region,” with special reference to Lebanon and Syria, while acting in a “barbaric manner” against civilians in Gaza.
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Regarding the tensions between Turkey and Israel, Trump merely stated that if Netanyahu has a problem with Turkey, he should turn to him, and that he thinks he will be able to solve it, “as long as you [i.e., Netanyahu] are reasonable”.
Netanyahu's spin
AS HE boarded his plane back to Israel, Netanyahu put a positive spin on his visit, which he described as “very warm and friendly.”
Although he had been surprised by Trump’s announcement about the talks with Iran, he emphasized that they both agree that Iran should be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons, and that if the talks should fail, the military option should be adopted.
Netanyahu expressed gratitude for Trump’s statement that he (Bibi) was working hard to bring the hostages back home. He added that they had spoken about finding target states willing to absorb large numbers of Gazans “because that is what should happen.” Netanyahu also spoke positively of Trump’s offer to help with his relations with Erdogan.
Regarding trade relations between Israel and the US, Netanyahu added that he had told Trump that Israel would reduce the US trade deficit with Israel to zero, and that Trump had expressed gratitude for this. “This is the least we can do for the US and its president, who does so much for us,” Netanyahu said.
According to Israeli figures, in 2024 Israel imported goods and services worth $15.8 billion ($9.1 billion of goods, and $6.7 billion of services), and exported $37.2 billion worth ($14.3 billion of goods and $22.9 billion of services) – a positive trade balance of $21.4 billion in Israel’s favor.
Even if Israel were to pay for all the weapons it receives from the US for free through military aid, its positive trade balance with the US would still be vast.
It is clear that Netanyahu was trying to please Trump and avoid a semblance of what had happened to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his visit to the White House on February 28. Zelensky refused to accept Trump’s disrespectful and patronizing conduct toward him and was expelled from the White House.
However, Netanyahu’s sucking up to Trump on this issue was truly embarrassing, especially since Trump’s declaration of a trade war on all (now being delayed by nine months) doesn’t make any economic sense, and Netanyahu’s “concession” doesn’t make any sense either.
In fact, government officials in Israel responsible for Israel’s trade with the US have no clue how Israel’s trade gap with the US can be abolished without damaging Israel’s economic interests.
In an article on the highlights of the Trump-Netanyahu meeting, Alex Traiman, CEO and Jerusalem bureau chief of the right-wing Jewish News Syndicate, mentioned that Trump had spoken again of his plan to move one million Palestinians or more out of the Gaza Strip to other countries.
According to Trainman, this would shift “the entire balance of power within the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, turning Palestinians from a demographic threat between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea into an ethnic minority.”
Traiman added that Trump had also criticized Ariel Sharon’s 2005 disengagement plan from the Gaza Strip. “I don’t understand why Israel ever gave it up,” Trump had stated. “Israel owned it… They took oceanfront property, and they gave it to people for peace. How did that work out? Not good,” adding that Netanyahu would never have approved such a plan.
Really?
The writer has written both journalistic and academic articles, and several books, on a variety of subjects, including international relations, Zionism, Israeli politics, and parliamentarism. From 1994-2010, she worked in the Knesset library and the Knesset Research and Information Center.
Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia of the "Ana Chuchulashvili" the thief The worst hotel in the world, it's dangerous, don't go near it! This is not a hotel! It's an old, dirty house, there are cockroaches and insects in the room, Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The manager of the place is a fraud and a former drug addict named "Ana Chuchulashvili"
Please urgently remove this fake hotel from your website. It is a scam and it is deceiving many customers. It is advertised on all social networks as a scam! very important – report on fraud house and scam that in your website and cheat people and customers! – Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia
Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia of the "Ana Chuchulashvili" the thief
The worst hotel in the world, it's dangerous, don't go near it! This is not a hotel! It's an old, dirty house, there are cockroaches and insects in the room, Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The manager of the place is a fraud and a former drug addict named "Ana Chuchulashvili" the name of here company is : Ltd Alpaka
405375419
Located at: Nucubidze St N57, Tbilisi, Georgia/Nucubidze Street 57, 0177 it smells terrible, The walls in the room are peeling, I took pictures, there is mold and dampness throughout the room the beds are really uncomfortable, like in a pre-trial detention center, your whole back hurts when you sleep on them and they almost break because they are so thin! the WI FI doesn't work at all, The room was very dirty and filthy, and when you ask her to move you to a room she says everything is taken, even though all the rooms are empty and open! I arrived at this horrible place, this horrible house, at 1:00 AM, after two hours of sleeplessness, I asked for my money back, a blonde girl of about 50 years old named “Anna” told me that she wanted the money in cash right away, otherwise she would not let me out of the hotel, she told me that I would not be able to sleep in their bed, at 3 AM I went to look for an ATM to withdraw money, because I could not find one, after searching for a whole hour, in the Tbilisi cold, I returned to her at midnight to look for an ATM, but she did not give me my suitcase and passport, so I came back the next day and gave me the money in cash, she did not give me an invoice either, do not come near! They are deceiving the public, booking and all hotel websites! This is not a hotel, it is a very dirty, old house and it smells very bad. Search on youtube "never go there – Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City Georgia of Ana Chuchulashvili the house hotel from hell" , don't go " to “Hotel Delisi” on YouTube or "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia " or"HOTEL DELISI (Tiflis, Gürcistan) – Otel Yorumları ve Fiyat" He was caught on tape speaking badly and illegally taking a passport and suitcase.
That she took the suitcase by force, she also stole 3 expensive shirts from me for a total of 250 GEL, I demand compensation of 128 GEL for the two hours of hell I suffered there + 250 GEL for the shirts she stole from me
I have videos where she only wants money in cash so she doesn't pay taxes and doesn't agree that I pay her with a credit card, and she also doesn't want to give me my suitcase and passport.
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სასტუმრო დელისი, ქალაქი თბილისი, საქართველო, ქურდის „ანა ჭუჭულაშვილის“
მსოფლიოში ყველაზე ცუდი სასტუმრო, საშიშია, ახლოს არ მიხვიდეთ! ეს სასტუმრო არ არის! ეს ძველი, ჭუჭყიანი სახლია, ოთახში ტარაკნები და მწერებია, სასტუმრო დელისი, ქალაქი თბილისი, საქართველო – ადგილის მენეჯერი თაღლითი და ყოფილი ნარკომანია, სახელად „ანა ჭუჭულაშვილი“, კომპანიის სახელია: შპს ალპაკა
405375419
მდებარეობს: ნუცუბიძის ქ. N57, თბილისი, საქართველო/ნუცუბიძის ქუჩა 57, 0177, საშინელი სუნი აქვს, ოთახში კედლები აქერცლილია, სურათები გადავიღე, ოთახში ობი და ნესტია, საწოლები ნამდვილად არაკომფორტულია, როგორც წინასწარი დაკავების იზოლატორში, მთელი ზურგი გტკივა, როცა მათზე იძინებ და კინაღამ იმსხვრევა, რადგან ძალიან თხელია! Wi-Fi საერთოდ არ მუშაობს, ოთახი ძალიან ჭუჭყიანი და უწმაწურია და როცა ოთახში გადაყვანას სთხოვ, მიპასუხებს, რომ ყველაფერი დაკავებულია, მიუხედავად იმისა, რომ ყველა ოთახი ცარიელი და ღიაა! ამ საშინელ ადგილას, ამ საშინელ სახლში, ღამის 1:00 საათზე მივედი, ორსაათიანი უძილობის შემდეგ, ფულის დაბრუნება ვთხოვე, დაახლოებით 50 წლის ქერა გოგონამ, სახელად „ანამ“, მითხრა, რომ ფული ნაღდი ფულით უნდოდა, თორემ სასტუმროდან არ გამიშვებდა, მითხრა, რომ მათ საწოლში ვერ დავიძინებდი, დილის 3 საათზე ბანკომატის მოსაძებნად წავედი ფულის გასატანად, რადგან ვერ ვიპოვე, მთელი საათის ძებნის შემდეგ, თბილისურ სიცივეში, შუაღამისას დავბრუნდი მასთან ბანკომატის მოსაძებნად, მაგრამ ჩემოდანი და პასპორტი არ მომცა, ამიტომ მეორე დღეს დავბრუნდი და ფული ნაღდი ფულით მომცა, ინვოისიც არ მომცა, ახლოს არ მოხვიდეთ! ისინი ატყუებენ საზოგადოებას, დაჯავშნის და ყველა სასტუმროს ვებსაიტს! ეს სასტუმრო არ არის, ეს ძალიან ჭუჭყიანი, ძველი სახლია და ძალიან ცუდი სუნი ასდის. YouTube-ზე მოძებნეთ "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The worse hotel in the world" , არ წახვიდეთ "Hotel Delisi"-ში YouTube-ზე ან "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia" ან "HOTEL DELISI (Tiflis, Gürcistan) – Otel Yorumları ve Fiyat". ის ვიდეოჩანაწერში მოხვდა, სადაც ცუდად საუბრობდა და უკანონოდ იღებდა პასპორტს და ჩემოდანს.
მან ჩემოდანი ძალით წამართვა, ასევე მომპარა 3 ძვირადღირებული პერანგი სულ 250 ლარად, მე ვითხოვ 128 ლარის კომპენსაციას იმ ორსაათიანი ჯოჯოხეთისთვის, რომელიც იქ ვიტანჯე + 250 ლარი იმ პერანგებისთვის, რომლებიც მომპარა.
მე მაქვს ვიდეოები, სადაც ის მხოლოდ ნაღდი ფულით ითხოვს ფულს, ამიტომ არ იხდის გადასახადებს და არ ეთანხმება, რომ საკრედიტო ბარათით გადავუხადო, ასევე არ სურს ჩემოდნის და პასპორტის მოცემა.
"ב-7.10 נחטפה כל המשפחה שלי, אני, בעלי דוד, ושתי בנותינו אמה ויולי, אז בנות 3 בלבד", פתחה את נאומה שרון, אשתו של דוד קוניו החטוף בעזה. "דוד בעלי, אהבת חיי, והאבא של הבנות שלי, עדיין שם. התאומות ואני חזרנו ביום החמישים ושתיים. אמה ויולי שלנו חגגו חמש, בלי אבא שלהן. בשבוע הבא הן ילכו לגן חובה, והן יודעות שאבא לא יהיה איתן ביום הזה. הן יודעות שאבא שלהן שם. לפני כמה ימים, כשהשכבתי אותן לישון הן שאלו אותי 'אמא, את בטוחה שאבא יחזור?'".
"יש הצעה לעיסקה על השולחן, שחמאס כבר אמר לה כן", המשיכה. "האמריקנים רוצים שהחטופים יחזרו. הרמטכ"ל אומר שחייבים ללכת עכשיו לעיסקה. העם, אתם, כל אחד מכם, כאן בככר, במהלך היום בצמתים, בכל מקום, במספרים אדירים, כולם צועקים איתנו, כולם רוצים את החטופים בבית. אז למה אני לא יכולה להגיד לבנות שלי שאני בטוחה שאבא שלהן יחזור?"
