Daijiworld Media Network – Washington

Washington, Jun 29: US President Donald Trump has once again come out strongly in defence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling his ongoing corruption trial a ‘political witch hunt’ and demanding it be cancelled immediately. In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump described the legal proceedings against Netanyahu as “terrible” and warned they could interfere with critical negotiations with Iran and Hamas.

“It is terrible what they are doing in Israel to Bibi Netanyahu,” Trump wrote, referring to the Israeli leader by his nickname. “He is a war hero and a Prime Minister who did a fabulous job working with the United States to bring great success in getting rid of the dangerous nuclear threat in Iran.”

Trump’s remarks came days after an Israeli court rejected Netanyahu’s request to delay his court testimony. The Prime Minister is facing charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in three criminal cases. He denies all allegations, and his trial, which began in 2020, resumed earlier this month after several postponements due to the ongoing Gaza conflict.

Highlighting Netanyahu's efforts in the ongoing negotiations to recover hostages held by Hamas, Trump questioned how Israel could afford to keep its Prime Minister in court during such a critical time. “How is it possible that the Prime Minister of Israel can be forced to sit in a courtroom all day long, over NOTHING (Cigars, Bugs Bunny Doll, etc),” he said, mocking the charges.

Trump also linked Netanyahu’s legal woes to his own, calling the Israeli PM’s prosecution “very similar” to the one he himself “was forced to endure.” In May 2024, Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money scandal.

Calling the situation ‘INSANITY,’ Trump said the trial could derail major diplomatic efforts. “This travesty of 'Justice' will interfere with both Iran and Hamas negotiations,” he warned.

This marks Trump’s second public defense of Netanyahu in just three days. In an earlier post, he described himself as “shocked” that Netanyahu was still being prosecuted despite his leadership during Israel’s war with Iran. “Such a WITCH HUNT, for a man who has given so much, is unthinkable to me. He deserves much better than this,” he wrote.

Trump, who shares a close political relationship with Netanyahu, added, “Perhaps there is no one I know who could have worked in better harmony with the President of the United States, ME, than Bibi Netanyahu. It was the United States that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States that saves Bibi Netanyahu.”

Netanyahu, 75, is the first sitting Israeli Prime Minister to face criminal indictment. He and his wife, Sara, are accused of accepting gifts worth over $260,000 from billionaires in exchange for political favours, along with attempting to manipulate media coverage in his favour.

As the trial continues amid ongoing tensions in Gaza, Trump’s vocal backing of Netanyahu has further spotlighted the political dimensions of the high-profile case.