Trump told Benjamin Netanyahu in one call this month, “Do what you have to do,” according to six people familiar with the conversation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive and confidential information. Trump has said publicly that the two have spoken at least twice in October, with one call as recently as Oct. 19.

“He didn’t tell him what to do militarily, but he expressed that he was impressed by the pagers,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), who was on a call this month with Trump and Netanyahu, referring to the Israeli operation that killed Hezbollah leaders with explosive batteries inside pagers. “He expressed his awe for their military operations and what they have done.”

Graham added: “He told them, do what you have to do to defend yourself, but we’re openly talking about a new Mideast. Trump understands that very much there has to be change with the corrupt Palestinian state.”

  • fine_sandy_bottom@lemmy.federate.cc
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    20 days ago

    I think the use of the term “unconditional” is fairly reductive. While any US government may continue military support regardless of Israel’s behavior, some governments will be more effective than others in restraining Netanyahu or nesuring Gazan’s receive appropriate support.

    I feel confident that neither Biden nor Harris are calling Netanyahu and saying “do what you have to do”.

    • Flocklesscrow@lemm.ee
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      21 days ago

      So true, gut feeling has always been a more reliable barometer of facts than logic and reasoning.

      Everyone raised around leaded gas knows that.

    • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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      21 days ago

      I think the use of the term “unconditional” is fairly reductive.

      We have imposed no conditions. Would you prefer “enthusiastic”? Because it’s that too.

        • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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          20 days ago

          Already have, plenty of times.

          But that doesn’t mean I don’t get to gripe, and it doesn’t mean that griping about it makes me a trumper.

          It just looks like centrists just want people to fake happiness about being manipulated into voting for centrists’ genocide.

          • fine_sandy_bottom@lemmy.federate.cc
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            20 days ago

            Ok, that’s precisely why “unconditional” is reductive. It reduces a spectrum of possibilities to a binary “conditional” vs “unconditional” and produces a “both sides are the same” argument.

            it doesn’t mean that griping about it makes me a trumper.

            Except, it really does though? Complaining about Harris is precisely what the republicans, trumpers, and Netanyahu want you to be doing.

            You might not like Trump, but you absolutely are (apparently unwittingly) carrying a lot of water for him.

            • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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              20 days ago

              You don’t give a shit who gets elected, as long as no one says anything bad about literal fucking genocide.

              When the election is over, what will your new excuse be for why no one can be upset about genocide?

              • fine_sandy_bottom@lemmy.federate.cc
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                20 days ago

                I’m at a loss as to how you could surmise that I don’t care about who gets elected? Everything I’ve been saying is about who gets elected.

                You can get as upset as you like about genocide any time, now or later, but maybe in the interim you can help avoid some suffering by not helping Trump get elected.

                • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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                  20 days ago

                  You can get as upset as you like about genocide any time, now or later, but maybe in the interim you can help avoid some suffering by not helping Trump get elected.

                  And you define “getting Trump elected” as “saying anything bad about genocide.”

                  What’s your excuse gonna be after the election?

                  • fine_sandy_bottom@lemmy.federate.cc
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                    20 days ago

                    No, I define attacking Biden and Harris over their support for Israel as helping Trump get elected.

                    You keep asking about my excuse after the election. To be frank, I just don’t care very much about the situation in Gaza. It’s sad, but it’s out of my control, as is every other conflict presently taking place.