Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the "Israel Beiteinu" party, announced on Monday that US President Donald Trump runs Israel through Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing him as a "puppet" in his hand. This came during Lieberman's interview with "103 FM" radio, affiliated with "Maariv" newspaper, following Trump's announcement of his support for Netanyahu in the elections scheduled for October 27.
Trump and Netanyahu's relationship
Lieberman, the former Israeli Defense Minister, expressed concern over the relationship between Trump and Netanyahu, pointing to previous statements by Trump saying that Netanyahu "will not launch an attack in Beirut because I asked him not to," and that "Bibi will do whatever I ask him to do." Lieberman considered that Trump "finds it very comfortable to run Israel through Bibi as a puppet in his hand."
Sovereignty of Israeli decision
In response to Trump's warning against choosing another prime minister, Lieberman said: "I appreciate President Trump - he has really done a lot for the citizens of Israel - but the final decision remains in the hands of the citizens of Israel." He continued: "Any leader elected in the State of Israel will know how to work very effectively with President Trump or anyone else, yet we are an independent and sovereign state, and we must act on that basis."
Trump's warnings and Netanyahu's challenges
For his part, Lieberman renewed his opposition to forming a government supported by Arab parties to prevent Netanyahu from forming one. Trump had warned against choosing any other leader, linking Netanyahu's re-election to the continuation of US-Israeli cooperation in confronting Iran. Netanyahu faces challenges in forming the next government, as four recent polls showed that neither his camp nor the opposition obtained a majority of 61 seats out of 120 in the Knesset.
Netanyahu's stance on the elections
On Sunday, Netanyahu admitted in an interview with "104 FM" radio that he is not confident of winning the elections, warning of the arrival of an opposition government led by Gadi Eisenkot, and claiming it would make concessions on the Iranian nuclear file and allow the establishment of a Palestinian state."
Source: Anadolu Agency
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