Signs of friction between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have come into sharper focus, with Trump publicly acknowledging that he called Netanyahu “crazy” during a profanity-laced phone conversation, and Netanyahu admitting the two leaders occasionally have “tactical disagreements” as the Iran conflict and tensions in Lebanon continue to complicate diplomacy.
Speaking to The New York Post’s “Pod Force One” podcast, Trump said he had been “a little bit perturbed” that Israel’s military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon were impeding efforts to advance peace talks with Iran.
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Tactical disagreements, common goals
Despite the tensions, Trump insisted his ties with Netanyahu remained strong.
“We’ve worked very well together. I like Bibi a lot. And I work very well with him,” Trump said.
Netanyahu, in an interview with CNBC, acknowledged differences with Trump but stressed that both leaders remained aligned on broader objectives.
“He respects me. I respect him. We always find a way to work out our differences,” the Israeli prime minister said.
He added that they sometimes have “tactical disagreements” but share “common goals” and “agree on the main things.”
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Pressure on Trump administration to end war?
Trump’s remarks on the phone call offered a glimpse into the mounting pressure on his administration to bring the Iran conflict to an end, as rising energy prices and growing economic uncertainty threaten Republican prospects in the upcoming midterm elections and weigh on global trade.
Negotiations have stretched on for weeks and have become increasingly complicated by Israel’s widening conflict with the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon.
Iran has insisted that any potential truce must also address hostilities involving Hezbollah, further linking the two crises.
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Israel and Lebanon renew ceasefire
Israel and Lebanon agreed on Wednesday to renew their fragile ceasefire and establish several “pilot” security zones inside Lebanon from which Hezbollah fighters would be excluded.
In a joint statement issued after a fourth round of US-mediated talks at the State Department, both sides said the ceasefire “is contingent on a complete cessation of Hezbollah fire and the evacuation of all Hezbollah operatives” from areas south of the Litani River, about 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of the Israel-Lebanon border.
While details on the security zones remain unclear, the agreement envisages the Lebanese army taking full control of those areas.
“These steps will enable progress towards a comprehensive peace and security agreement,” the statement said.
“All countries reaffirmed that the future of the relationship between Israel and Lebanon must be decided by the two sovereign governments.
They rejected any attempt, by any state or non-state actor, to hold Lebanon’s future hostage.”
Hezbollah has not been involved in the Israel-Lebanon talks, which have been taking place at the ambassadorial level in Washington since the beginning of last month.
Another round of discussions is scheduled for the week of June 22 with the aim of “reaching a comprehensive agreement”.
Trump avoids committing to timeline on Iran conflict
Trump declined to give a firm timeline for ending the conflict with Iran, saying the Strait of Hormuz could remain blocked through the Labor Day holiday on September 7, though he expected the situation to be resolved sooner.
“I don’t know. I mean, I think it could be (closed through Labor Day), but I think it’s unlikely. I think that we’ll have it. I think this will resolve itself fairly quickly,” Trump said.
He also said Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his late father, is “involved” in the peace negotiations.
Earlier this week, Israel and Lebanon reached a US-brokered understanding under which Israel agreed not to target Beirut’s southern suburbs and Hezbollah committed to halting attacks on northern Israel.
The latest escalation between Israel and Hezbollah has killed 3,468 people in Lebanon and displaced around 1.2 million others. According to Netanyahu’s office, at least 27 Israeli soldiers and a defence contractor have been killed in or near southern Lebanon, while two civilians have died in northern Israel.
