Donald Trump criticized Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday at the Group of Seven summit, saying the Israeli prime minister had caused “too many” deaths in Lebanon.
During bilateral talks with Qatar’s delegation, which included Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the president voiced clear frustration over Israel’s military campaign.
“Israel is fighting Hezbollah too long, and too many people are being killed,” Trump told reporters while answering questions. “They should have been able to do the job faster.”
He went on to argue that broad strikes on residential buildings were unjustified. “You don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody,” Trump said. “There are a lot of people in those apartment houses, and they’re not all Hezbollah.”
According to Lebanon’s health ministry, Israeli attacks in Lebanon killed at least 3,783 people and injured 11,699 others between March 2 and June 14. The ministry’s figures do not separate civilians from military fighters.
Trump also reportedly expressed anger at “Bibi” over Netanyahu’s decision to strike Beirut just two hours before a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran was scheduled to be signed on Sunday.
‘Bibi has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon,’ Trump said. ‘I’m not happy with the way Israel has handled themselves with Lebanon, and with Hezbollah.’
Trump also noted that he has told Israeli officials that Syria should ‘take care’ of the Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah.
President Donald Trump expressed frustration with Bibi and Israel, claiming they have killed ‘too many’ people in Lebanon and taken ‘too long’ with their operation
The President’s harsh words for Bibi came as he was meeting with the emir of Qatar, Sheik Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
People make their way through the rubble of a destroyed building as residents displaced by the fighting return to Nabatieh in southern Lebanon on Monday
‘You don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody,’ Trump said. ‘There are a lot of people in those apartment houses and they’re not all Hezbollah’
‘I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah,’ the President said. ‘If Israel can’t do the job without killing everyone else, he’ll do the job, Syria will do the job.’
Trump has had a warm relationship with Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa since the leader took power in early last year.
The two leaders have met at least three times during Trump’s second term and also had multiple phone calls.
The US President described him as a ‘young, attractive guy,’ and a ‘fighter.’
Trump’s high praise comes despite al-Sharaa once being on the FBI’s most wanted list for his connections to Al-Qaeda and terrorism.
The President also doubled down on his recent claim that Israel would have been destroyed by Iran.
‘Without the US, there would be no Israel. Without me, there would be no Israel because no other President was willing to do what I did.’
Israel is not a member of the G7, nor was it invited to join the delegation.
‘Bibi has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon,’ Trump said. ‘I’m not happy with the way Israel has handled themselves with Lebanon, and with Hezbollah’
The President and the emir of Qatar laugh after their bilateral meeting
Trump meets the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheik Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon earlier this month
Israeli soldiers patrol near Moshav Margaliot in the Upper Galilee bordering Lebanon on June 9
Lebanese servicemen patrol in Nabatieh, in southern Lebanon, on Monday. Some residents have returned to the city following the news of the peace deal
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However, other Gulf partners who are not officially members of the G7, including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, were invited to attend the summit.
Trump, Vance, and Iranian officials signed the MOU on Sunday to begin a 60-day negotiation period to hash out specifics on how to end the Iran war, a senior administration official told the Daily Mail on Monday.
The senior official did not mention whether Israel had signed onto the agreement, but they did note that under the MOU, Israel will be allowed to respond to Lebanese attacks without violating the agreement.
