Former President Donald Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, the first such meeting between the two since Trump left the White House more than three years ago.
The meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort was at Netanyahu’s request, a source familiar with the planning told CNN, and follows the prime minister’s address to Congress and a meeting with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House.
Harris, who is now seen as the Democratic Party’s nominee, has demonstrated a strong stance on civilian suffering and an end to war after her time as prime minister.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said on Friday he hoped Harris’ comments would not make it harder to reach a ceasefire agreement.
Trump said Harris’ comments to reporters after her meeting with Netanyahu were “disrespectful to Israel.”
“I think what she said was disrespectful,” Trump told CNN’s Kristen Holmes on Friday. “It wasn’t a very nice thing to say about Israel. I have no idea how Jews could vote for her, but that’s up to them.”
Speaking ahead of Netanyahu’s remarks, Harris’ office denied initial suggestions from Israeli officials on Friday that the vice president’s comments could make it harder to reach a ceasefire agreement.
“I don’t know what they’re talking about,” a Harris aide told CNN after the Times of Israel quoted a senior Israeli government official as saying.
“President Biden and Vice President Harris conveyed the same message in their private meetings with Prime Minister Netanyahu that the time has come to conclude a ceasefire and hostage agreement,” a senior aide told reporters, adding that Harris’ meeting with Netanyahu was “serious and collaborative.”
