Trump reportedly told Netanyahu before Gaza ceasefire, ‘Everyone is sick of you’

According to the authors, tensions escalated after an Israeli strike targeting Hamas leaders in Doha on Sept. 9.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu engaged in a heated confrontation during negotiations over a Gaza ceasefire agreement last September, according to a new book by New York Times journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan that details internal disagreements within the administration and growing frustration over the course of the talks.

The book, Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, portrays a diplomatic effort marked by disputes among U.S., Israeli and regional officials before an agreement was eventually reached and 20 living hostages were released from Gaza.

According to the authors, tensions escalated after an Israeli strike targeting Hamas leaders in Doha on Sept. 9.

The operation occurred shortly after Jared Kushner and White House envoy Steve Witkoff met with Ron Dermer, one of Netanyahu’s closest advisers, to discuss plans for Gaza following the war.

The book says the strike angered both Kushner and Witkoff, who believed Israel had acted contrary to understandings reached during those discussions. Following the operation, the two reportedly told White House officials, “Dermer lied to us.”

Haberman and Swan write that Kushner’s frustration grew to the point that he told an associate: “I’m out. The Israelis are crazy.”

The authors describe that episode as a turning point that helped shape what later became President Trump’s “20-point plan” for ending the conflict. The proposal was subsequently discussed with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani during meetings on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The book states that President Trump shared details of the initiative with Arab and Muslim leaders before presenting it to Netanyahu.

Anticipating resistance from the Israeli leader, Kushner and Witkoff reportedly alerted White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.

When Netanyahu later called President Trump, Kushner and Witkoff remained on the line as the conversation unfolded.

According to the account, President Trump sharply criticized the Israeli prime minister, telling him: “Everyone is sick of you, Bibi. All the Jews are tired of you. Even the two Jews on this call [Kushner and Witkoff] are tired of you.”

He also insisted that Netanyahu support the proposal, saying: “You can’t back out of this. I am the best friend Israel has ever had. Everyone hates you, and I stood by you. This is a great deal for Israel.”

Despite the dispute, the book says Netanyahu ultimately agreed to the framework. The agreement was finalized on Oct. 8, and the remaining 20 living hostages held in Gaza were released shortly afterward.