Trump Slams Israel's Prosecutors over Netanyahu Corruption Trial
US President Donald Trump on Saturday lashed out at prosecutors in Israel over the corruption trial that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced, saying Washington, having given billions of dollars worth of aid to Israel, was not going to "stand for this".
Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in Israel on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust - all of which he denies. The trial began in 2020 and involves three criminal cases, Reuters said.
On Friday, the court rejected a request by Netanyahu's lawyers to delay his testimony for the next two weeks because of diplomatic and security matters following the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran this month.
He is due to take the stand on Monday for cross examination.
"It is INSANITY doing what the out-of-control prosecutors are doing to Bibi Netanyahu," Trump said in a Truth Social post, adding that the judicial process was going to interfere with Netanyahu's ability to conduct talks with the Palestinian group Hamas, and Iran.
A spokesperson for the Israeli prosecution declined to comment on Trump's post.
Trump's second post over the course of a few days defending Netanyahu and calling for the cancellation of the trial went a step further to tie Israel's legal action to US aid.
"The United States of America spends billions of dollar a year, far more than on any other Nation, protecting and supporting Israel. We are not going to stand for this," Trump said.
Netanyahu "right now" was in the process of negotiating a deal with Hamas, Trump said, without giving further details. On Friday, the Republican president told reporters that he believes a ceasefire is close.
Hamas has said it is willing to free remaining hostages in Gaza under any deal to end the war, while Israel says it can only end it if Hamas is disarmed and dismantled. Hamas refuses to lay down its arms.
Interest in resolving the Gaza conflict has heightened in the wake of the US and Israeli bombings of Iran's nuclear facilities.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
22 minutes ago
- Arab News
US embassy in Bahrain returns to normal operations
The US Embassy in Bahrain said on Sunday that it has returned to normal staffing and operations, according to a post by the embassy on X. Shortly before this month's 12-day war between Israel and Iran, the US military had allowed families of service members in Bahrain to depart the country temporarily. Message for U.S. Citizens June 29, 2025 The U.S. Embassy in Bahrain has returned to normal staffing and operations. We continue to advise U.S. citizens in Bahrain to exercise caution and review security announcements as they are issued. — U.S. Embassy Manama (@USEmbassyManama) June 29, 2025
Arab News
43 minutes ago
- Arab News
Germany seeks Israeli partnership on cyberdefense, plans ‘cyber dome'
BERLIN: Germany is aiming to establish a joint German-Israeli cyber research center and deepen collaboration between the two countries' intelligence and security agencies, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on Sunday. Germany is among Israel's closest allies in Europe, and Berlin has increasingly looked to draw upon Israel's defense expertise as it boosts its military capabilities and contributions to NATO in the face of perceived growing threats from Russia and China. 'Military defense alone is not sufficient for this turning point in security. A significant upgrade in civil defense is also essential to strengthen our overall defensive capabilities,' Dobrindt said during a visit to Israel, as reported by Germany's Bild newspaper. Dobrindt, who was appointed by new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz last month, arrived in Israel on Saturday. According to the Bild report, Dobrindt outlined a five-point plan aimed at establishing what he called a 'Cyber Dome' for Germany, as part of its cyberdefense strategy. Earlier on Sunday, Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Soeder called for the acquisition of 2,000 interceptor missiles to equip Germany with an 'Iron Dome' system similar to Israel's short-range missile defense technology.
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
Elon Musk criticizes Trump's tax bill that cuts electric vehicle credits
Elon Musk slammed the US Senate's latest version of President Donald Trump's multi-trillion dollar tax bill Saturday, warning that the cuts to electric vehicle and other clean energy credits would be 'incredibly destructive' to the country. Musk, the chief executive officer of Tesla Inc. and SpaceX, posted on his social media platform X about the bill, which the Senate advanced in a contentious vote late Saturday. Musk recently left Trump's side after working for several months as the head of Trump's so-called Department of Government Efficiency. The bill would destroy millions of US jobs and give 'handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future,' Musk said. The tech billionaire's latest criticism of the package threatens to reawaken his public rift with Trump that began after the world's richest man left his cost-cutting job in the administration. The bill would bring a quicker end to a popular $7,500 consumer tax credit for electric vehicles. While the earlier proposal would have ended the incentive at the end of this year for most EV sales, the new version terminates the credit after Sept. 30. Tax credits for the purchase of used and commercial electric vehicles would end at the same time.
