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Trump on Netanyahu: He’s ‘tough, smart’ and ‘strong’

President Trump praised the Israeli premier amid anticipation of an announcement on whether Netanyahu will be indicted for alleged corruption.

By World Israel News staff

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “has done a great job as prime minister.”

Trump made his remarks in response to a question about the imminently anticipated decision by the Israeli attorney general on whether Netanyahu is to be indicted for alleged corruption.

The U.S. president was speaking at a news conference in Vietnam following talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. “He’s tough, smart, strong,” the president said of the Israeli prime minister, adding that “he’s very defensive, his military has been built up a lot.”

Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit is expected to announce Thursday his decision on whether Netanyahu, pending a hearing, is to be charged in three criminal investigations against him.

Among the allegations are that Netanyahu received gifts and benefits from billionaire benefactors in exchange for favors;  was involved in planning a deal to ease regulatory restrictions for Bezeq telecommunications in exchange for favorable coverage of the prime minister from Bezeq’s news website, Walla!; and, that he helped the business dealings of the mass daily, Yedioth Ahronoth, in exchange for more positive coverage of Netanyahu by the newspaper.

Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing in all three cases and has alleged that the investigations against him are a “witch hunt” involving the left, media, and police.

Netanyahu said Wednesday that “the accusations of corruption are absurd.” His office, in a statement, said that “this house of cards will come crashing soon.”

Trump was also asked about the U.S. administration’s Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, which is expected to be released following the Israeli parliamentary election on April 9.

“They say it’s the impossible deal; I’d love to be able to produce it,” said the president.

“All my life I heard that the toughest of all deals – and everyone loves deals – would be peace between Israel and the Palestinians,” he told reporters.