Trump warns of World War III if not elected, targets Harris

"If we win, it’ll be very simple. It’s all going to work out and very quickly. If we don’t, you’re going to end up with major wars in the Middle East and maybe a third world war," Trump declared while welcoming Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.

The Republican candidate for the US presidency added that the world is currently closer to World War III than ever before because the United States is run by "incompetent people."

Trump's criticism also extended to Kamala Harris. After Thursday's meeting with Netanyahu, the US Vice President called for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, highlighting the suffering of civilians.

Israeli politicians reacted angrily to these statements, accusing Harris of strengthening Hamas’s position in negotiations. " I think her remarks were disrespectful. They weren’t very nice pertaining to Israel. I actually don’t know how a person who’s Jewish can vote for her," Trump remarked on Friday.

The Republican candidate also assured that he has always had "very good relations" with the Israeli Prime Minister. Meanwhile, Netanyahu emphasized Trump's contributions to Middle Eastern politics during his presidency from 2017 to 2021, which earned him the support of the Israeli leader.

This is the first meeting between the two politicians in four years. Both leaders are keen to mend strained relations and use them for their own political purposes, AP noted.

During Trump's term, there was a rapprochement between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, referred to as the Abraham Accords. The US also withdrew from the nuclear deal with Iran and moved the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

In the fall of 2020, after Trump's election defeat and Netanyahu's congratulations, which he was one of the first world leaders to send to Joe Biden, relations between the two politicians cooled. Trump accused Netanyahu of "disloyalty".

The conflict in the Gaza Strip, which began with a Hamas terrorist attack, resulted in the death of over 39,000 Palestinians. In the US, as a critical ally of Israel, the issue of conducting military operations has caused divisions, even within the Democratic Party, which traditionally enjoys the support of American Jews.

Republicans, including Trump, strive to appear as exceptionally loyal allies of Israel. On the other hand, Netanyahu must maintain relations with Trump, who has a chance to return to the White House.