Corey Booker: US should be worried about Israel upending Mideast peace

Democratic Senator Corey Booker calls Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “criminal president,” arguing that between the Trump administration and Israel’s government, Americans should be “very worried” about Mideast peace.

By World Israel News Staff

Sen. Cory Booker said Americans should be “very worried” that President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could upend a fragile effort to end the Iran war and stabilize the Middle East, accusing both leaders of damaging prospects for peace.

Booker, D-N.J., made the remarks Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” days after Trump signed an initial agreement with Iran that is intended to halt the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and set up 60 days of negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program and US sanctions.

“These are two failed world leaders, and yes, we should be very worried about both of these leaders continuing to upend any kind of viable pathway to peace in the Middle East,” Booker said of Trump and Netanyahu.

“These are both failed leaders that I cannot wait until they’re off the world stage,” he added.

Booker’s criticism came as the White House has been trying to defend the Iran memorandum of understanding against attacks from both Democrats and some Republicans.

Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed the initial agreement last week, according to details released by both countries and mediators.

The agreement calls for an end to hostilities and opens a 60-day negotiating period for a final settlement over Iran’s nuclear program. It also allows Iran to sell oil under sanctions relief and calls for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy shipments.

Trump has presented the deal as a breakthrough that ended the conflict and reduced pressure on energy markets. But Booker said the president should not be praised for ending a war he helped start.

“That’s like giving somebody credit for literally an arsonist starting a fire and getting credit for running out of the burning building,” Booker said.

The New Jersey Democrat also called the agreement an “abject surrender,” arguing that Iran had won major financial and strategic concessions while the United States gave up leverage.

“Let’s be clear. I do not support this deal that he made, which was an abject surrender,” Booker said.

“This is a guy who said he’s a great negotiator, but right now Iran has billions and billions of dollars of benefits,” he said. “It’s almost as if American dollars, American resources, are now going to be used to help rebuild Iran while we are continuing to carry the bill for it.”

Booker said Iran understood the outcome as a win.

“They know that they’ve won this, and they know Donald Trump is perhaps, on the world stage right now, the biggest loser with egg on his face,” he said.

His comments followed reporting that US officials were concerned Israel could take steps that would complicate or undermine the emerging agreement.

Netanyahu has warned repeatedly against concessions to Iran and has insisted Israel must retain freedom to act against threats from Iran and its regional allies.