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One year on from the Hamas terrorist attack that sparked 12 months of intense conflict in the Middle East, Donald Trump has said that Israel needs to “get smart” and support him.
The former president appeared to complain that he was not being backed by Israel, claiming in typical fashion that he had done more for the nation and Jewish people “than anybody.”
Monday October 7 marks the one year anniversary of the attack by Hamas fighters at a music festival in southern Israel, during which some 1,200 people were killed. The past year has seen the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians.
Trump phoned into conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt’s show on Monday, and was asked if he thought Israel would be able to fully recover after its war. The former president replied that Israel “would be good.”
“I think that Israel has to do one thing. They have to get smart about Trump, because they don’t back me,” he said. “I did more for Israel than anybody. I did more for the Jewish people than anybody. And it’s not reciprocal, as they say, not reciprocal.”
It was not clear exactly what he expected Israel to do for him.
Trump has repeatedly boasted of his credentials as a pro-Israel president, citing his decision to relocate the US Embassy to Jerusalem, his recognition of the Golan Heights territory as Israeli and the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations.
He has also cast himself as Israel’s "protector" and claimed that the conflict would never have happened if he had been in office at the time. Speaking to supporters last week he warned that Israel faced “total annihilation” if he was not elected in November.
On Monday Trump visited Ohel Chabad-Lubavitch – considered a sacred site amongst Hasidic Jews – in Queens, New York, where he had an intimate private visit to the Ohel, the gravesite of the Rebbe at the Old Montefiore Cemetery, where he was seen shaking hands with Rabbis and mingling with leaders, as well as right wing political commentator Ben Shapiro.
However he has also drawn criticism previously for complaining that he does not always receive the support of Jewish voters and previously said Jews who back Democrats should “have their head examined.”
During his interview on Monday Trump also said that he would be supportive of Israel retaliating against Iran following an Iranian missile attack last week.
“Well, you want to do what they want to do. Now they may be making a deal with Iran right now. You know, to be honest with you, because Iran’s not looking so good,” Trump said.
“They could be doing some very smart things right now. There are a lot of things they can do,” he added. “But the nice thing is they’re entitled to an attack, and nobody will be upset if they attack, because they’re entitled.”
