Netanyahu criticizes Trump for hosting antisemites, says ‘I hope it’s not repeated’

Trump “has been a tremendous supporter of Israel, and I’m unabashedly appreciative of what he did for Israel,” Netanyahu said. “So I think he made a mistake.”

By World Israel News Staff

In a wide-ranging interview with Common Sense, Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu criticized ex-president Donald Trump for dining with disgraced antisemitic rapper and fashion designer Kanye West and Holocaust-denying white supremacist Nick Fuentes at his Mar-a-Lago estate last week.

Renowned journalist Bari Weiss, founder of the site, had quit her senior position at The New York Times in July 2020, citing bullying, discrimination and antisemitism, asked Netanyahu his opinion of Trump’s decision to meet with the two antisemites, noting that “Trump has claimed he doesn’t know who Nick Fuentes is, but he certainly knows who Kanye is, who has spent the past many weeks on an antisemitic tear.”

“Well, first, I condemned Kanye West’s antisemitic statements. Straight away, I thought that was just wrong and misplaced. And I think that that’s what I would say about President Trump’s decision to dine with this person I think is wrong and misplaced,” Netanyahu responded. “I think it’s a mistake.”

“He shouldn’t do that,” he continued, adding that Trump has been a great supporter of Israel.

“He has been a tremendous supporter of Israel, and I’m unabashedly appreciative of what he did for Israel. He did great things for Israel in recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, long overdue, given that it happened 3,000 years ago under King David. He moved the American embassy there. He recognized our sovereignty on the Golan Heights, from which we were attacked for years by Syria. He got out of this dangerous Iran deal, and I appreciate all that…

“Also, you know, he’s been very supportive of the Jewish people. So I think he made a mistake. I hope it’s not repeated. That’s all I can tell you.”

AntisemitismBenjamin NetanyahuDonald Trump