Trump could offend would-be leaders of Israel as he singles out Bibi’s so-called exceptionalism

January 1, 2026 by Bruce S. Ticker
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Monday’s Bibi-Donald summit in Palm Beach produced hardly any news, but it spotlighted a lovefest for the leaders of Israel and America.

Bruce Ticker

If President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thought they would influence Jews in both their nations, I doubt that they reached many American Jews. These leaders merely confirmed that, whatever their intentions, they should retire or find new work.

Trump’s praise for Netanyahu could offend potential and former leaders of Israel while intruding on Israel’s legal process. Netanyahu, who is nicknamed Bibi, injected himself into our political chaos, which is a longtime pattern for him.
“He’s a wartime prime minister,” Trump declared. “Israel, with other people, might not exist right now…If you had the wrong prime minister, Israel right now would not exist.”
Our president is saying that Bibi is exceptional to almost any Israeli who aspires to become prime minister, but that still leaves room for someone who is Netanyahu’s equal. Or did he mean that nobody, but nobody, could replace him?
As the right prime minister, Netanyahu endangered the residents of southern Israel by failing to provide adequate protection, which allowed terrorists led by Hamas to invade Sderot and a range of border towns, murder 1,200 people and kidnap 250 others. His scorched-earth policy in Gaza that has killed thousands in Gaza and destroyed numerous buildings has damaged Israel’s credibility and, by now, has many people – not just Arabs – blaming all Jews.
I have not reached any firm conclusions about Israel’s military response. I would like to know why the government went this far. Were all these deaths necessary to protect Israel?
This is the Netanyahu who is on trial for bribery; antagonised thousands of Israelis when he attempted to transform the judicial system to his benefit; has mulled annexing the West Bank, which could lead to fighting with the Arabs there; and is accused of ignoring Israeli residents’ violence against Arab villagers in the West Bank.
I do believe that Trump is serious about confronting antisemitism in America, but in more instances than not, he goes about it the wrong way, which compounds the pressures that American Jews face today. As an aside, I otherwise regard Trump as our worst president because of his disregard for the middle class and the lower class; his widespread corruption; and the upheaval in the federal government.
Trump also claims that Israeli President Isaac Herzog is expected to pardon Netanyahu over his alleged bribery trial. “How do you not give a pardon?” Trump said. “I spoke to the president. He tells me it’s on the way.”
That’s news to Herzog. His office said he never spoke to Trump, according to The Times of Israel. He explained to a Trump representative “the stage of the process” after the pardon request was submitted a month ago.
Trump is now trying to export his pardon industry to a foreign ally. With his abuse of his pardon power, it may be that presidents should never have been authorised to pardon citizens. It has nothing to do with their executive responsibilities, and it conflicts with the legal process. Why bother retaining this clause?
Why should Netanyahu receive a pardon? If he is innocent as he says, can’t he contest this in court? If he is guilty, wouldn’t that embolden other Israelis with power to commit crimes? We would end up with a two-tier system of justice in Israel.
Bibi was as effusive with praise for Donald when he repeated Trump’s initiatives on behalf of Israel. He often promotes the Republican Party, which is stronger in fighting antisemitism.
This leaves us with two of the world leaders left to decide the fate of Israel, America and the rest of the world in the coming years. Can we survive them?

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