Don’t make us choose — you or Israel: Evangelical warns Trump over Netanyahu rift

‘There is no possibility you can win again if Bible-believing evangelicals see you as the F–k Netanyahu president,’ one former Trump adviser warns in letter to ex-US president

By TOI STAFF       Today, 4:49 am  

US President Donald Trump visits the Western Wall, May 22, 2017, in Jerusalem. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

US President Donald Trump visits the Western Wall, May 22, 2017, in Jerusalem. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

A senior evangelical leader has warned former US president Donald Trump to end his rift with ex-Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying that it could jeopardize support among American Christians.

Mike Evans, a former Trump adviser who is very close to Netanyahu, sent a letter to Trump, which he shared with the Washington Post, saying he was “horrified” by Trump’s recently reported comments.

The letter comes after the release of an interview with Trump by Israeli journalist Barak Ravid in which Trump lashed out at Netanyahu over the Israeli leader’s congratulations to US President Joe Biden after he won the presidency last year.

Trump said Netanyahu’s congratulatory message to Biden came too quickly after the election results were announced, results he continues to contest to this day.

“He was very early. Like earlier than most. I haven’t spoken to him since. Fuck him,” Trump said.

Further comments released saw Trump claiming Netanyahu, not the Palestinians, were the main obstacle to peace, and that Netanyahu angered and blindsided Trump with a plan to annex much of the West Bank.

“Please, I beg of you, don’t put us in the position to choose between you and Bible land,” the letter said according to the Post. “There is no possibility you can win again if Bible-believing evangelicals see you as the ‘F–k Netanyahu’ president who .?.?. blames the State of Israel, and not the Palestinians, for not making peace.”

Mike Evans at the Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem, on May 16, 2017 (Nati Shohat/Flash90)

Evans implored Trump to “understand that Benjamin Netanyahu,” in his view, “has much greater support among evangelicals in America than you.”

Evans, who runs the “Jerusalem Prayer Team,” which boasts some 77 million followers, has come to Netanyahu’s defense before.

Earlier this year, when a coalition was coalescing under Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid to oust Netanyahu, Evans warned that such a move could see Israel lose the support of American Christians.

He called them a coalition of Arab anti-Zionists and post-Zionists who would “wave a white flag” and surrender to radical Islam.

“Bibi Netanyahu is the only man in the world that unites evangelicals,” he said.

Evans also released an open letter to Bennett, calling him a “disgusting disappointment” and accused him of “shitting on the face” of US evangelicals.

He later apologized, saying that Bennett “has actually been a strong Zionist most of the time I know him, and he deserves more respect.”

Netanyahu has been instrumental in recent years in shifting Israel’s diplomatic focus in the US from relying on the support of the US Jewish community — which is largely liberal and critical of Israel — to seeking evangelical support.

This was highlighted earlier this year when former Israeli ambassador to the US Ron Dermer suggested that Israel should prioritize the “passionate and unequivocal” support of evangelical Christians over that of American Jews, who he said are “disproportionately among our critics.”

Illustrative: Evangelical Christians from various countries wave flags as they march to show their support for Israel in Jerusalem. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner, File)

Other evangelical leaders took a more nuanced view of Trump’s comments than did Evans, but were clearly unhappy with the rift.

“Evangelical support for Israel is rooted in our Biblical tradition which transcends both politics and personalities,” Sandra Parker, the action fund chairwoman for Christians United for Israel, the largest US pro-Israel lobby, told the Post in an email Tuesday.

Johnnie Moore, a former Liberty University official who helped organize Trump’s evangelical advisory board in 2016, said US evangelicals would not abandon Trump.

“The relationship between American Evangelicals and Bibi preceded the relationship with President Trump by many, many years,” he said. “But Bibi was an Israeli prime minister, and Trump was an American president. There’s a difference between the two for Americans,” he said referring to Netanyahu by his nickname.

Others noted that even if the reports were true, it did not diminish all that Trump had done for Israel, citing his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal and recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

“Even if the alleged comments are true, it doesn’t diminish in the least that President Trump’s policies have been the most pro-Israel in history,” said Robert Jeffress, senior pastor at First Baptist Church of Dallas, who led a prayer at the 2018 opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem.

Trump spoke to Ravid in April and July for the Israeli reporter’s new Hebrew-language book, “Trump’s Peace,” about the normalization deals between Israel and Arab states, which were brokered with the help of the Trump administration. Some of his comments, which were taped, have been broadcast on Israeli TV, including the “Fuck Bibi” remarks.

Despite Trump’s anger, Netanyahu was actually quite late in congratulating Biden in November of last year, conspicuously doing so long hours after many other world leaders.

Trump’s denial of Biden’s election victory led him to boycott his successor’s inauguration. It also led to the January 6 assault on the US Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters, for which the House impeached the former president for a second time.

Ravid writes for Israel’s Walla news site and the Axios news site in the US.

Speaking to Ravid, the former president said no one had helped Netanyahu more than he did, and he therefore considered it a betrayal when Netanyahu congratulated Biden on his election victory, even as Trump falsely claimed that the election had been stolen.

“Nobody did more for Bibi. And I liked Bibi. I still like Bibi,” Trump said. He was “the man that I did more for than any other person I dealt with.”

“But I also like loyalty. The first person to congratulate Biden was Bibi. And not only did he congratulate him, he did it on tape. And it was on tape.

“I was personally disappointed in him,” he said. “Bibi could have stayed quiet. He made a terrible mistake.”


In a statement after an initial broadcast of Trump’s comments last week, Netanyahu hailed Trump, and explained why it was important that he congratulate Biden on his victory.

“Former prime minister Netanyahu really appreciates the great contribution that president Trump made to the State of Israel and its security,” the statement from Netanyahu’s office said. “He also really appreciates the importance of the strong alliance between Israel and it was therefore important for him to congratulate the incoming president.”

December 15, 2021 | 94 Comments »

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50 Comments / 94 Comments

  1. Good points. In fact Trump slobbered praise all over Abbas in the interview. Again, it’s easy to dump on Israel and it’s PM.

    This article lists the world leaders who congratulated Biden – not all of them but a few, including the leaders of Canada, Great Britain, France, Germany, Japan, etc.

    BTW, why didn’t Trump also kick Mahmoud Abbas?

  2. @peloni
    This is from 11-08-2020 [emphasis mine]

    This article lists the world leaders who congratulated Biden – not all of them but a few, including the leaders of Canada, Great Britain, France, Germany, Japan, etc.

    BTW, why didn’t Trump also kick Mahmoud Abbas?

    If Israel had accepted Trump’s plan, Abbas would soon rule over his own state of Philastyn on most of Judea and Samaria and all of Gaza with Israel cut at the waist by a tunnel (I know, I know, it wasn’t Trump’s plan, it was Kushner’s).

    Some politicians who had closer ties to Trump took the time to reflect on the sitting president’s achievements.
    In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted his congratulations on Twitter several hours after other world leaders.
    Netanyahu said he and Biden have had a “long & warm” personal relationship for almost 40 years and sees him as “a great friend of Israel” and looks forward to working together.
    Netanyahu has worked closely with the White House on Middle East policy in recent years.
    In a separate Twitter post, Netanyahu thanked Trump “for the friendship you have shown the state of Israel and me personally, for recognizing Jerusalem and the Golan, for standing up to Iran, for the historic peace accords and for bringing the American-Israeli alliance to unprecedented heights.”

    https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/07/americas/biden-global-reaction-election-intl/index.html

  3. Hi, Laura, you responded to me, saying,

    Yes, but Trump may be back in office. Although I intend to vote for him, I worry his next potential term won’t be as friendly toward Israel.

    That is too many “ifs” and “maybes” for me to deal with.

    I have not moved in organized Christian circles since 2018, when I was booted out. Since that time, the organized “church” has taken a massive hit from the COVID 1984 restrictions; and Christianity now is focused on “house churches”, both in and out of China (where it has been the norm since 1949). These house churches are not loci of political activity, as the regular churches used to be: The politics of “evangelicals”, where the actual life of the church is, are not part of public knowledge; but since they probably reflect the masses more than the former leaders, I think you can read their sentiments more by following political support for Donald Trump and others in the MAGA movement, than by proclamations from “churches” (like the Salvation Army, for instance).

    As I said before, I have never heard of Mike Evans before reading the OP, so I consider him irrelevant. One Evangelical who IS relevant, is former presidential advisor and candidate Gary Bauer. He can be found at

    https://pointofview.net/articles/gary-bauer-end-of-day-middle-east-and-anti-semitism/

  4. Even Olmert who hates Bibi recognizes that Bibi did the right thing by congratulating Biden on his perceived victory in the election after the election.

    Bibi needed to get along with the new administration and he did the right thing for Israel. His concern focuses on ONE thing only that Israel get along as much as possible with the perceived future new President of the USA.

    That the out going President Trump has thin skin and needs to take revenge on Bibi for the crime of congratulating Biden</em reflects poorly on Trump and not on Bibi. Israel politicians need to be for Israel first and internal political conflicts within the USA simply can not take precedent.

  5. @peloni

    Netanyahu waited so long, it started to look embarrassing.

    All the other countries congratulated Biden before Netanyahu did and thus “helped establish a narrative of normalcy about the election”.

    Netanyahu was a Prime Minister of a country, not a Trump’s servant.

    Trump was PO’d at his loss (fair or not) and took it out on a Joo because he could which doesn’t add to his presumed virtues.

    As far as my reading your posts – I try but I can’t handle the long essays – I do get the gist of what you say.

  6. @Reader

    Bibi, that ingrate, was wrong for NOT choosing to kiss Trump’s feet

    There is no suggestion that Bibi should assume the pose of a delusional hand puppet for Trump and spite Biden. That would simply be self-destructive and completely unuseful.

    Also no one suggested that Bibi should act as a subordinate to Trump at all.

    Bibi was a respectable, highly capable leader of Israel for a long time, and I am personally very fond of him, as you well know. The point, here, is that Bibi acted in presuming the election was settled long before it was even contested, but days after it had been determined there would be an election contest. His action helped establish a narrative of normalcy about the election and Trump saw this as, well, as he stated:

    Early yes, but he was very early. Like earlier than most.

    or something to that effect.

    It wasn’t about disloyalty. It just wasn’t proper and it wasn’t smart. In any case, that was the argument I have made in a nutshell. I describe it better than this in my posts below. Though not everyone will agree with me, you really should read what I write about my arguments rather than what others might suggest are their understandings of my arguments. They are very often quite wide of the mark in their summations.

  7. @peloni

    But they choose to do so.

    Not really.

    They idealize the US, they just about abandoned Zionism, they made the country dependent on the US to a great extent but they certainly don’t kiss anybody’s feet (yet).

    Isn’t this whole argument about how Trump was right to curse the “disloyal” Bibi and how Bibi, that ingrate, was wrong for NOT choosing to kiss Trump’s feet?

  8. Israel’s politicians don’t have to kneel and kiss the US presidents’ feet and swear allegiance to them or to their country.

    No, they don’t have to do so. But they choose to do so. You obviously misread what I wrote. For what its worth.

  9. @peloni

    I find you response delusional.

    Politics is not the same as sports where you root for your favorite player, and while Israel has made itself dependent on the US, it is not a US colony or property, and Israel’s politicians don’t have to kneel and kiss the US presidents’ feet and swear allegiance to them or to their country.

    I won’t even try to counter your views because doing so would be hopeless.

    Laura is right 100%.

  10. @Laura

    “it’s been the American Jewish community which has abandoned Israel for the most part.”

    It might have been both but Israel did it first.

    Israel decided that it is more convenient to have the American Jews financing Israel rather than making aliyah.

    However, they miscalculated – the next generation wasn’t as attached to Israel as its ancestors, and Israel is getting neither the money, nor aliyah (I am somewhat exaggerating here).

    Even now, Israel doesn’t show much interest in the US Jews – its liaison with the American Jewish communities is not even Jewish!

    Anyway, for a purportedly Jewish country to sell out 5 million Jews for dubious Christian support, for any reason, is horrifying, in my opinion.

  11. What we don’t know is what transpired between Bibi and Trump when Trump put the brakes on Bibi who wanted to extend our sovereignty and build on the land. It must have been very contentious and acrimonious.. Perhaps Bibi recognizing Biden so early and Trump’s reaction to it reflect what happened..

  12. @Laura

    would Trump ever dare say those things about the Chinese or Russian leaders?

    It’s a fair question. The simple answer is that he has a different relationship with Xi and Putin, but given the proper context, yes I believe he would, in a heart beat. He is a plain speaking man who uses rough language for a desired effect.

    Trump and Bibi were each in a continual state of siege from the day Trump became president. Trump’s association with Bibi was very helpful to Bibi, as it was to Trump. The similarities of the lawfare waged against them each could not be overlooked by either of them, and I suspect an understanding of common goals and outlooks between them was likely assumed by each. Bibi’s actions may have been reasonably pragmatic, but they were a huge blow to Trump at a personal level. He is not acting out of an urgency of temper which would be long past a year later. This is much more personal than political.

    And why say it to an interviewer instead of directly confronting Bibi? That’s not courageous and I don’t care if you’re offended.

    He isn’t going to contact him directly. The interview was sending Bibi a very clear message.

    Trump has the ability to turn conservative opinion against Israel if he wanted to.

    This is not in Trump’s interest to do, and I do not believe it would be as easy as you might think. Trump represents the movement he created. Israel is a strong plank in that movement. He represents the people because he supports the things they support. He doesn’t tell them what to think, he supports what they think. Also, Israel is a very important part of Trump’s world view. This included Bibi at the helm. Unfortunately, given his preferences, this last detail will likely not still hold true, but I do not believe he would be so bold as Obama or Clinton to openly throw down against Bibi during an election in Israel.

    Just my thoughts, such as they are.

  13. I’m guessing that if Bibi said “fuck Trump”, you and everyone here would be bothered.

    Also you know that Bibi is under the same type of relentless attacks and attempts to overthrow him from the media and leftists in Israel as Trump is here.

    His grabbing pussy and saying “fuck Bibi” does not bother me.

  14. Has he made that recognition? I haven’t heard. But he did pressure Israel not to build in Judea and Samaria.

    He can grab all the pussy he wants and call Bibby a “prick” if he wants, he just needs to recognize that all of our land is indeed ours and that the so called “Palestinians” are the occupiers and colonists.

  15. Ted, I’m more than ok with strong language and being direct with his tweets. I just don’t like him cursing and expressing contempt for Bibi behind his back to an interviewer. Bibi is not an enemy of his. The media and democrats are. You guys seem to think I have an issue with Trump’s personality and language in general, I don’t. My criticism is limited to this situation. I don’t want any rift between Israel and conservatives in America. Trump has the ability to turn conservative opinion against Israel if he wanted to.

    Ted Belman
    DECEMBER 15, 2021 AT 10:57 PM
    I TOO SUPPORTED TRUMP BECAUSE OF HIS POLICIES AND HIS BELIEFS. THE FACT THAT HE OFTEN USED STRONG LAHGUAGE AND WAS DIRECT IN HIS TWEETS WAS A POSITIVE FOR ME. HE NEEDED HIS AGGRESSIVENESS TO COMBAT THE MANY ATTACKS HE HAD TO SUFFER.

  16. The fact that you all defend Trump over Bibi proves otherwise. Bibi did nothing to deserve Trump’s contempt. But you’ll never admit Trump is wrong. If that’s not cult-like, I don’t know what is. As far as the grabbing pussy remark, I’m not surprised that misogynist alta cockers find that hilarious. But I supported Trump in spite of, not because of that remark. I’m ok with plain talk and honestly expressing anger and cursing. I certainly do that. But would Trump ever dare say those things about the Chinese or Russian leaders? He says it about Bibi because its safe. It’s always safe to attack Israel and its leaders because there won’t be any consequences. And why say it to an interviewer instead of directly confronting Bibi? That’s not courageous and I don’t care if you’re offended.

    I support Trump and many of my friends support Trump, too.
    Neither I nor anyone I know are cultists.
    I love the guy, but I don’t worship him. Nor do I think he is infallible like some idiot-Pope.

  17. @Reader

    I recognized the humbling description I used here when I wrote it. In 1996, when Bibi spoke before the Congress, (it really was a long time ago…), he spoke of weening Israel off of the yoke of US aid. It was following the end of the Bush ‘F*** the Jews’ presidency, when he humiliated and hamstrung Israel’s ability to defend herself while being attacked and then forced her to a “Peace Conference” where he sneakily betrayed Israel by including the Terrorist PLO. Unfortunately, Bibi had his hands full with the slimey Clintons, and of course, things went the other way. Over the years, Israel has become very much dependent upon the US, even for the ready access to the supply of technology that Israel develops, eg Iron Dome rockets.

    To demonstrate the level Israel has become a client-state of the US, I draw attention to the fact that the Israeli generals complain that the US won’t defend the Jewish State from the offensive actions of a domineering terror state that the US empowered and continues to enable towards its nuclear aims. Bibi knew that Israel should have acted many years back against Iran, but he was blocked against acting by men who chose to place their faith and the trust of the entire Israeli nation into the hands of the very rougue enabling the Mullahs.

    Does that make Israel a serf, dependent upon the US for life or death? I hope not, because they are now back to the same plot, just a decade later and things appear very dicey as to the outlook. Does this mean that Israel should suffer political insults and condescensions with ease? Well, I do recall Begin responding to a much younger version Biden in a very well told tale, with which you are likely familar. The US and Israel each benefit from US aid to Israel, but it has bred a sense of subordination by Israel to the US. Even little brothers have the ability to stand up to their older siblings, but they have to do so, to do so.

    Regarding Trump’s emotions, we all suffer from them, and they are a great bother. But Trump was not betrayed by a man, or a group of men. He was betrayed by his entire organization. By that, you can take your pick:
    The FBI/DOJ
    The Reps
    The States
    Pence
    ….
    The cost of that complex betrayal was very great and it was felt in no small part by Israel, nor to the American people.

    Recognizing the fact that he was not done, no matter the outcomes, Trump took stock of those who stood by him and those who did not. It doesn’t take a cult follower to recognize how the man works, he is pretty open about it. Like it or not, Bibi is on Trump’s naughty list and it isn’t a point of pettiness or unreasonable outrage.

    Regarding Trump being held in a higher esteem of other politicos in the US, yes, you should count him as such. He offered people the control of their own futures by promising to support them and then doing so. He is the only president since Washington who went to Washington and severely discounted his own wealth for the opportunity to serve. He held the people’s attention during 2020 when they were terrified and they looked forward to his daily updates, which was a mistake, but it gave him a relationship to a challenged nation, even by some who only looked to him because they hated him(very confused people out there). He came to beat a rigged election where the openness of the system to “vote as much as you can print” was built upon additional safeguards of theft and they still had to re-rig the fraud. Trump is claimed to have gained 75million votes, but this ignores the fact that this vote tally is diminished from the real figure, as Trump votes were requisitioned for the Radicals. He is a very powerful voice in American politics and should the power of the vote be returned to the people, you will see what that looks like.

    From Israel’s perspective, Trump created a vision of utopia on earth, which Israel has only dreamt of finding…a world where an attack upon them was not subjected to an equivocational explanation of balancing the hopes of the people of a fake nation against the latest collection of dead Jews. Yes, that was something that should place Trump in a higher standing, and I believe that Israeli’s recognize this, not withstanding the Brotherhood, their Jewish allies, and those who claim to be centrists, but in truth are simply anti-Zionists.

  18. I TOO SUPPORTED TRUMP BECAUSE OF HIS POLICIES AND HIS BELIEFS. THE FACT THAT HE OFTEN USED STRONG LAHGUAGE AND WAS DIRECT IN HIS TWEETS WAS A POSITIVE FOR ME. HE NEEDED HIS AGGRESSIVENESS TO COMBAT THE MANY ATTACKS HE HAD TO SUFFER.

  19. @Laura

    His base is like a cult and will never see him as ever being in the wrong or ever finding fault with him. It isn’t healthy to act like a cult. I’ve been a Trump supporter, but I’m not a sycophant.

    I find your comments about Trump’s supporters offensive.
    I support Trump and many of my friends support Trump, too.
    Neither I nor anyone I know are cultists.
    I love the guy, but I don’t worship him. Nor do I think he is infallible like some idiot-Pope.

    Among the things I love about Trump, one thing in particular stands out: his humanity. He says what he thinks. He does not read pre-prepared speeches he just speaks his mind. When he get’s angry, he show it. I’d feel exactly the same way about Netanyahu.
    Relationship with Biden would have been exactly the same, neither worse nor better if he waited till Jan 6th or even 20th to congratulate him.
    For one thing Biden would not remember anyway.

    When you call Trump supporters a “cult” you are just being egoistic and putting other people down. You think you are smarter? Well, you are mistaken.
    It just takes courage to support Trump.
    Support someone who brags about many women letting him grab their pussy because he is a celebrity!
    I think it is hilarious.

    His grabbing pussy and saying “fuck Bibi” does not bother me.
    What bothers me is that he did not go the whole hug:
    Why not recognize that all of Judea and Samaria are our land. That it rightfully belongs to us, the Israelites.

    He can grab all the pussy he wants and call Bibby a “prick” if he wants, he just needs to recognize that all of our land is indeed ours and that the so called “Palestinians” are the occupiers and colonists.

  20. @Edgar. You’re kind of making my point about cult-like allegiance associated with Trump. I merely made comments in what I see is a minor personality flaw of his and you raise suspicion about my motive. I think he was a successful president and would vote for him again. I don’t like that he cursed Bibi to an interviewer and essentially implied Bibi betrayed him. I think its unfair as well as instigating conservatives in America to also turn against Bibi and maybe Israel, and that worries me. At least he should have spoken to Bibi directly.

    You mention Trump in a very negative and derogatory way…so I wonder??

  21. Yes, that’s why I supported him. But there is a streak of fanaticism which doesn’t tolerate any criticism, no matter how minor.

    But 84 million “cultists” …that is a piece of phantasy. Those who support him do so because of his policies; HIS policies, HIs goals, HIS aims…

  22. @ LAURA,

    Trump has always been like that. He sees problems before anyone else even knows there are any , and makes up his mind whilst the rest are still mystified. His whole business career has been studded with examples. He’s grown up in the construction industry and mostly with the men who work there, .SO at times his language is “pithy”. He most often shuns “politicspeak” for plainspeak. Nebbuch……Tch Tch…….!!

    But 84 million “cultists” …that is a piece of phantasy. Those who support him do so because of his policies; HIS policies, HIs goals, HIS aims…

    I don’t think that we yet realise his tremendous impact on world affairs. Because he cut to the REAL problems right away and acted…ACTED.

    His “cultists” support Israel for the same reasons. Trump has done more for Israel than all the Presidents from Washington on, put together. A bit hyperbolic but I think you get my meaning.

    You mention Trump in a very negative and derogatory way…so I wonder??

  23. There is a cult-like quality to many of Trump’s supporters. It’s not healthy. He’s not always in the right and all-knowing. To acknowledge when he’s wrong is not an act of betrayal.

    @peloni

    Is Netanyahu a serf of the lord Trump?

    Just curious.

    The way you sound is like the US has the power of life and death (God forbid) over Israel, and Trump especially so.

    Trump sounds like someone who is not in control of his emotions or behavior which is a pretty dangerous trait to have for a president or for any politician (even for an average human being).

  24. @Reader, it’s been the American Jewish community which has abandoned Israel for the most part.

    Abandoning the American Jewish community in favor of the people who believe that when all the Jews are in Israel, there will be the Second Coming and Jews will finally accept Christ, and the ones who don’t will die.

  25. To add to my point, before the election Mark Levin was begging the PA GOP state legislator to stop what was going on with the changing of election rules unconstitutionally. He instructed what they can do. They ignored his on-air pleas. The Trump administration also did nothing as a preventative measure.

  26. Peloni, I agree the election was stolen. But I always knew overturning it was an unrealistic expectation. Bibi didn’t have input, he was simply responding to the reality of the situation, not taking sides against Trump. Maybe he should have waited longer, I don’t know. But I still think Trump is petty to attack Bibi over a situation beyond his control. If Trump should be cursing at anyone, it should be the gutless Republicans in the House, at GOP state legislators in swing states who did nothing while election rules were being changed unconstitutionally months and weeks before the election.

    It is not a test of allegiance to Trump which should have steadied Bibi’s congratulations, but rather the process of the election itself, on which Bibi, the leader of a US client-state, should have had no input.

  27. @peloni

    Is Netanyahu a serf of the lord Trump?

    Just curious.

    The way you sound is like the US has the power of life and death (God forbid) over Israel, and Trump especially so.

    Trump sounds like someone who is not in control of his emotions or behavior which is a pretty dangerous trait to have for a president or for any politician (even for an average human being).

  28. More relevant than the fact that Bibi’s early statement was wrong, it was ill advised. You suggest Trump’s response is petty which suggests the matter was creating a large reaction from a small slight. I think this term betrays the significance of the slight involved in recognizing the election theft as if it were a routine election outcome. It wasn’t routine. It was a coup, as much as any junta conducted against any third world dictator. This coup was planned, orchestrated and executed with great support within the govt and without, just as it was originated within the nation and without. For Bibi to be perceived in supporting the validity of this coup, even before the last of the votes were printed(point intended), was always going to have a lasting impression on Trump, who has a very strong expectation of both allegiance and vengeance, something he does not hide, but rather sees as a point of character. Given the enormity of the fraud and the significant consequences should it be verified as routine, this could only have increased Trumps horror of Bibi’s early action to support the election outcome as normal.

    The alliance between Israel and the US is actually in obeisance of the relationship between the two peoples and not due to any perceived personal friendships between two politicians acting as leaders, who don’t have friendships, just political associations. Whereas people like to suggest that all politics is personal, Trump is not a politician and that makes the appearance of betrayal very personal. He came to Washington to change the world. He survived a series of palace coups which culminated in a manufactured plague which enabled an election theft through the coordinated efforts of the entirety of his own govt and the court system. When Bibi recognized the legitimacy of the election theft as legitimate before Trump had even received the final tally of the manufactured votes, he(Bibi) was acting as a pragmatist, but Trump saw this as support for the attack on him and his presidency. It is a personal rift in a relationship between the two men which will not easily be mended, I believe, which is why I saw his 4 day pause before supporting the election as ill advised.

    So, whereas we will likely not agree on this point, this is the reality that informs my view that Bibi acted too early, very decidedly so. Though I am surprised that you and others hold opinions that differ from my own, I am unswayed that it was either a wise or correct move for Bibi to make, especially on the 8th.
    /2

  29. @Laura
    Yes, for what it’s worth, I do believe that Bibi did not wait long enough. I shared my views on this at some length in a discussion with @Edgar @Bear Klein and @Ted a few days ago, so you probably missed the fun (https://www.israpundit.org/trump-if-it-werent-for-me-israel-wouldve-been-destroyed-by-now/comment-page-1/#comments).

    In any case, yes, Bibi did wait 4days after election night(not to quibble but it was midnight on the 8th). This was a length of time, long enough to see significant evidence of voter fraud, but not long enough to realize that the established fraud would not be challenged or the election set right. In fact Trump stated clearly that he had not conceded and would contest the election.

    I do believe it was both wrong and ill advised(two separate points) for Bibi to so quickly support the outcome of a disputed election. As I noted previously, the Safe Harbor date was not til Dec. 8, and the election was disputed to the steps of the Capital Building on Jan. 6, when Pence coordinated with the Dems and Rinos to complete the coup. It is not a test of allegiance to Trump which should have steadied Bibi’s congratulations, but rather the process of the election itself, on which Bibi, the leader of a US client-state, should have had no input.

    Also the hope of the election being overturned was not due to a point of legal ingenuity proposed by any lawyer. The election was stolen on live broadcast where thousands of votes were routinely reduced in real time. The use of counting ballots should not result in negatives, not routinely. The after election process of ballot shredding, pizza box barriers, observation by binoculars, suitcases of ballots counted amid a watermain brake that was never broken(my personal favorite)…People should not be swayed into a false sense of disbelieving what they believe. We saw what we saw. The fraud was real and the false expectations that it would be remedied in a timely fashion was due to the expectations that the process at some level might not be completely captured by corrupted interests, when it was. The refusal of the courts to consider the evidence does not merit a statement that there was none, nor that they should not have seen it. This is but a thimbleful of the ocean of knowledge that the election was rigged and this is the mess that Bibi entered into when he supported the fraudulent election on the 8th.
    /1

  30. Yes, but Trump may be back in office. Although I intend to vote for him, I worry his next potential term won’t be as friendly toward Israel.

    I’ve never heard of Mike Evans. Trump and Netanyahu are both out of office. What’s this teacup tempest about? The world’s being taken over by dictatorships and pharmicocracies — that’s the real news; and Trump, Netanyahu, etc. are back-burner items, to say the least.

  31. Netanyahu has been instrumental in recent years in shifting Israel’s diplomatic focus in the US from relying on the support of the US Jewish community — which is largely liberal and critical of Israel — to seeking evangelical support.

    This was highlighted earlier this year when former Israeli ambassador to the US Ron Dermer suggested that Israel should prioritize the “passionate and unequivocal” support of evangelical Christians over that of American Jews, who he said are “disproportionately among our critics.”

    What an achievement!!!

    Abandoning the American Jewish community in favor of the people who believe that when all the Jews are in Israel, there will be the Second Coming and Jews will finally accept Christ, and the ones who don’t will die.

    Well, maybe, at least, they will help promote aliyah?

  32. If Trump felt betrayed, he should have picked up the phone, called Bibi and told it to him straight out. Instead, he stops speaking to him, then months later trashes him to an interviewer. The very definition of passive/aggressive.

  33. Because of the craziness of people like Lin Wood, Sidney Powell et al, Trump supporters were given false hope that the election was going to be overturned. That was never realistic. So people were mad at Bibi for calling Biden on Nov.8 and thought it was a betrayal, when he was just acknowledging reality.

  34. I’ve never heard of Mike Evans. Trump and Netanyahu are both out of office. What’s this teacup tempest about? The world’s being taken over by dictatorships and pharmicocracies — that’s the real news; and Trump, Netanyahu, etc. are back-burner items, to say the least.

  35. Are you saying Bibi didn’t wait long enough? He waited 5 days after the election and after other world leaders. He was just acknowledging reality that unfortunately Biden was going to be the president. Bibi did not betray Trump. Trump is being petty. Trump supporters who are pro-Israel are taking Trump’s side. His base is like a cult and will never see him as ever being in the wrong or ever finding fault with him. It isn’t healthy to act like a cult. I’ve been a Trump supporter, but I’m not a sycophant.

    LOL, maybe it would have been better if Bibi had congradulated Biden on Nov. 2…TOI is so in love with their hatred for Bibi and Trump both that it really has left them as a useless tool

  36. @Klien
    What are you suggesting.

    I wish there was an editor on this site Ted

    My view is different from most of the people here who are suggesting no fraud.
    There absolutely was fraud sufficient to “win” the swing states. The failure to follow rules is a violation of the law itself. The conspiracy to ignore the rules makes it even a bigger crime tantamount to sedition.

    The early cases were not decided on the merits but on findings of no standings. A year later the evidence of fraud is much clearer and more massive. The standing issue is being corrected.

    The biggest surprise of all to me is that so many elected Republicans are not calling it out.

    These Rinos are now being culled and replaced by MAGA people loyal to Trump.

  37. Despite Trump’s anger, Netanyahu was actually quite late in congratulating Biden in November of last year, conspicuously doing so long hours after many other world leaders..

    LOL, maybe it would have been better if Bibi had congradulated Biden on Nov. 2…TOI is so in love with their hatred for Bibi and Trump both that it really has left them as a useless tool

  38. Johnnie Moore, a former Liberty University official who helped organize Trump’s evangelical advisory board in 2016, said US evangelicals would not abandon Trump.

    Of course they won’t. In fact I’m quite certain they would choose Trump over Israel if it came to that.

  39. Bear Klein, It wasn’t fraud, it was a lack of rule enforcement…like Georgia where the margin of victory is 12000 and the voters who voted from the address they no longe live at is 30000 and had their votes counted. This is not fraud but still affected the outcome. The focus on the word fraud is a waste as that was not the issue.

  40. Speaking to Ravid, the former president said no one had helped Netanyahu more than he did, and he therefore considered it a betrayal when Netanyahu congratulated Biden on his election victory, even as Trump falsely claimed that the election had been stolen.
    Who is TOI to say Trump falsely claimed… ?

  41. If one is truly a Zionist, they should support Israel regardless of who the PM is.

    Earlier this year, when a coalition was coalescing under Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid to oust Netanyahu, Evans warned that such a move could see Israel lose the support of American Christians.

  42. @Edgar you and others on this site will not agree (to be understated) but the perception among many including loyal republicans is that there was fraud in the election. However, that fraud was not provable to a point were the election was lost by Trump because of Trump.

    I spoke to a retired GOP prosecutor (who is very Pro Trump) the other day in depth who has been closing following the court cases and election reviews in the USA. His conclusion was there is not enough proof in enough states that can show the election was lost because of fraud. This was also the view of Bill Barr the former Attorney General. So Ravid’s view even if wrong to some is the prevailing view.

  43. Is Ravid actually claiming that Trump’s claim of a stolen election is a fraudulent claim???

    Some book it will be. Not even useful for toilet paper.!!