Benjamin Netanyahu Archives - CrossFireArarbia

BoP and The Lurking Devil!

Saleem Ayoub Quna
March 5, 2026

Eight months ago and precisely in June 2025, the US and Israel launched their first combined “Midnight Hammer” military operation against Iran, in an attempt to obliterate its controversial nuclear facilities, set since 2018, to be settled through negotiations between the US and Iran. Prior to that strike, not Ukraine nor Venezuela or Greenland, but Gaza was the hottest issue on Trump’ international agenda, as he was applying the final touches on his anticipated peace plan for the devastated tiny strip! On 26 January this year, i.e. nearly a month ago, Trump from Davos, in Switzerland, proudly announced the birth of BoP, “The Board of Peace”, which he would preside over forever.

To enhance his initiative’s chances to succeed, Trump had invited world leaders to join his new born club for peace. Those who responded favorably had little choice to do otherwise, and some of them promised to contribute billions of dollars to make the plan work. Other big shots such as Russia, France or China were either not interested or invited!

The last one to join the club, but reluctantly, was no other than the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, despite his direct involvement in the thick of the matter. Netanyahu thought the plan was naïve and amateurish in more than one aspect! So he would send his Foreign Minister to attend the signing ceremony in Davos, for his own thoughts were focused on other more important issues that would take place later! Regardless of Netanyahu’s caveats, the Trump BoP seemed to be one of few feasible options to stop the violence and killing committed by Israel.

in Gaza, and a shy start towards a peaceful transition in Gaza and beyond despite the many loopholes.
On this occasion Trump said: “This is a big, big day, a beautiful day, potentially one of the great days ever in civilization”. The he added: “I am not talking about Gaza. Gaza is one thing, but we are talking about
much beyond Gaza. The whole deal, everything getting solved. It is called peace in the Middle East”. While this BoP was hailed as an achievement for Trump’s diplomacy, envisaged by his top capable advisor to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and his assistant Jared Kushner, Trump’s trusted son-in-law, it whistled disaster in Netanyahu’s ears.

From this man’s point of view, if the BoP was put on track of the peace train, let alone its arrival at its desired destination, it would mean one thing and nothing else: the end of Gaza tragedy which also meant the end of Netanyahu’s political career. For him, it looked like a trap that he had, knowingly but unwillingly, a role in setting up. At this crucial moment the manipulative devil and the survival instinct in
Netanyahu, were awakened and pushed him to embark on planning a reversal of this momentum. He had to end this nonsense talk about peace for Gaza, let alone beyond! For certain, he regretted his consent to the suspension of the Midnight-Hammer strike back in June against Iran. Now time is running short for him again.

He needs to take a big and last gamble to divert Trump’s current menacing approach to solve the thorny issues in this region. He, prematurely, and ahead of his originally scheduled visit to the US, books
a meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, thus effecting his sixth meeting with Trump in less than a year!

There, he presents his case: Today, he tells Trump, Iran is the biggest real danger facing Israel and the free world led by the US; Iran is stockpiling an arsenal of all kinds of deadly missiles; the majority of
Iranians want the US to help them topple the regime which is massacring the protesters in the streets; Iranian negotiating team are just buying more time; it is now or a never again chance to finish this
nightmare called Iran, after its proxies in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Gaza and Lebanon were defeated earlier.
Trump submissively listened, as Netanyahu managed to put a hold on every other item on Trump’s agenda, including his cherished BoP project for which he hoped to be nominated for the Nobel Prize for
peace!

Today as the war against Iran goes into its sixth day, two things and plus are crystal clear; there will be no peace prizes, and there will lot of havoc and chaos on the ground, plus the devil in Netanyahu, will be the happiest breathing creature around, for the time being!

News

OIC Condemns US Envoy Views on Israel’s Rights in Mideast

CrossFireArabia
February 22, 2026

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Saturday condemned remarks by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, warning that his comments about Israeli expansion in the Middle East threaten regional security and stability.

Mike Huckabee argued that Israel has a biblical right to the land stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates rivers, saying on a podcast released Friday: “It would be fine if they (Israel) took it all.”

Huckabee made the remarks in an interview with US journalist Tucker Carlson, during which he defended Israel’s actions in Gaza and voiced support for the idea of “divine providence” giving control of the region to Israel.

After Huckabee claimed Israel had a divine right to vast portions of the Middle East, Carlson asked him: “What land are you talking about?” Interpretations of the biblical phrase “river of Egypt” vary, with some scholars identifying it as a riverbed in the Sinai Peninsula and others as the Nile.

“It would be fine if they took it all,” Huckabee replied, referring to Israel’s biblical right to the territory stretching from the Nile River to the Euphrates.

‘Dangerous and irresponsible’

The OIC described Huckabee’s remarks in a statement as “dangerous and irresponsible,” calling them an unacceptable call for the expansion of Israel, the occupying power, and the seizure of additional Palestinian and Arab lands.

The comments were based on “a false and rejected historical and ideological narrative and claims” that violate state sovereignty, diplomatic norms, principles of international law, UN resolutions, and the UN Charter, the group added.

The organisation warned that such extremist rhetoric would fuel further extremism and embolden Israeli policies centered on displacement, settlement expansion, and attempts to impose annexation on occupied Palestinian territory.

It said these measures “threaten security and stability in the entire region.”

Supporting legitimate rights

The bloc reaffirmed its unwavering support for what it described as the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them the right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent, sovereign state on the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Huckabee, named US ambassador to Israel in April 2025, is an evangelical Christian who has previously spoken of expansionist claims based on what he described as a “divine right” for Israel in the West Bank.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told news channel i24 last August that he feels “very attached” to the vision of a Greater Israel. He said he considers himself “on a historic and spiritual mission,” including “generations of Jews that dreamt of coming here and generations of Jews who will come after us.”

Greater Israel is a term used in Israeli politics to refer to the expansion of Israel’s territory to include the West Bank, Gaza, and Syria’s Golan Heights, with some interpretations also including Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and parts of Jordan.

Arab countries

Arab countries also separately strongly condemned the statement as “absurd and provocative”, unacceptable, and contrary to international law.

Jordan

In a statement, Jordan’s Foreign Ministry called the remarks “absurd and provocative”, saying they “constitute a violation of diplomatic norms, an infringement on the sovereignty of states in the region, and a blatant breach of international law and the UN Charter.”

The ministry added that the comments “contradict the publicly declared position of US President Donald Trump rejecting annexation of the occupied West Bank.”

The ministry called for “the concerted efforts of all parties to consolidate stability in Gaza and to implement the US president’s plan and UN Security Council Resolution 2803, instead of issuing absurd, escalatory, irresponsible statements that carry no legal value or effect.”

Egypt

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry condemned the statements, describing them as a “flagrant departure” from the principles of international law and the UN Charter.

Cairo expressed surprise at the remarks, saying they contradict the vision put forward by US President Trump and the related 20-point framework aimed at ending the genocidal war in Gaza, as well as the outcomes of a Board of Peace conference held in Washington on Feb. 19.

Egypt reiterated that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Palestinian land or any other Arab territories, stressing its categorical rejection of any attempts to annex the West Bank, separate it from Gaza, or expand settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry also condemned “in the strongest terms” and fully rejected Huckabee’s “reckless remarks,” which violate international law, the UN Charter, and diplomatic norms, calling them a dangerous precedent when issued by a US official and dismissive of the region’s long-standing relations with the US.

A ministry statement warned that such extremist comments “threaten international peace and security” by antagonising countries and peoples in the region and undermining the foundations of the international order.

Saudi Arabia called on the US State Department to clarify its position on a rejected proposal and reiterated its firm stance in rejecting any infringement on states’ sovereignty, borders, and territorial integrity.

The statement stressed that the only path to a just and comprehensive peace lies in ending the occupation based on a two-state solution and establishing an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Kuwait

Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry also rejected the US ambassador’s remarks, saying in a statement that they represent a clear violation of international law and relevant international legitimacy resolutions, including Resolution 2803, and undermine states’ sovereignty and territorial integrity.

It said the comments directly contradict President Trump’s stated vision and the related 20-point peace framework, warning that legitimising control over others’ territory would inflame tensions and weaken efforts to restore stability.

Kuwait reaffirmed that Israel holds no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory or any other Arab land and rejected attempts to annex the West Bank, separate it from Gaza, or continue settlement expansion.

It reiterated its support for the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state on the June 4, 1967, borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.

Iraq

Iraq’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the remarks constitute a serious overreach that contradicts the principles of international law and the UN Charter and infringes on the sovereignty, independence, and territorial unity of states.

Baghdad stressed its firm position in support of state sovereignty and its rejection of any policies based on domination or the imposition of a fait accompli, calling for respect for international law to strengthen regional security and peace.

Oman

Oman’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the remarks, describing them as an illegitimate acceptance of imposing control over Arab lands, including the occupied Palestinian territory.

Muscat said the comments were contrary to international law and the UN Charter, warning that the rhetoric undermines prospects for peace and threatens regional security and stability.

The ministry reiterated Oman’s firm support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state on the June 4, 1967, borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and for ending the occupation of all Arab territories. – TRTWorld

Opinion

Netanyahu Leaves Washington Empty-Handed

CrossFireArabia
February 13, 2026

By Mohammad Al-Kassim

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned from Washington without the outcome he had clearly hoped for, or the outcome he had led his domestic audience to expect in the days before the trip.

The visit, hastily moved up by a week and framed by Netanyahu as urgent and decisive, ended with a brief, anodyne statement from his office. There was no joint appearance, no press conference, and no public declaration of alignment with President Donald Trump on Iran.

When Netanyahu met with Trump at the White House on Wednesday, Iran was top of the Israeli PM’s agenda. And on his way back to Israel, Netanyahu said he had made his feelings clear – “not hide my general scepticism about the possibility of reaching any agreement with Iran”.

For a leader who typically amplifies diplomatic achievements and personal rapport with American presidents — from his 2015 address to Congress opposing the Obama administration’s Iran deal to his close partnership with Trump during the Abraham Accords — the restraint was striking.

President Trump, for his part, said “nothing definitive” had been decided.

The White House made clear that negotiations with Iran remain ongoing following the first exploratory round of US–Iran talks aimed at testing parameters for a possible new nuclear framework.

That, in itself, was the headline Netanyahu had hoped to prevent.

Meeting defined by what didn’t happen

Netanyahu arrived in Washington, saying he would present Israel’s “guiding principles” for negotiations with Iran.

But there was nothing fundamentally new in those principles — nor in the message he delivered.

For more than three decades, Netanyahu has framed Iran as an existential threat to Israel, warning of its nuclear ambitions in international forums, including at the United Nations General Assembly in 2012, where he famously drew a red line on a cartoon bomb.

His objectives have been consistent: weaken Iran by any means available; prefer regime change if possible; and, failing that, ensure Iran is permanently deprived of nuclear capabilities and long-range missiles.

After last year’s direct, unprovoked Israeli attack on Iran, missile capabilities have become even more central to Israel’s demands.

In Washington, Netanyahu pushed a maximalist position:

no uranium enrichment on Iranian soil, a demand that goes beyond previous US negotiating frameworks, including the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which permitted limited enrichment under strict monitoring;
strict limits — ideally elimination — of Iran’s ballistic missile programme, a core pillar of Tehran’s deterrence strategy and long considered non-negotiable by Iranian leadership;
constraints on Iran’s regional allies and proxy networks, and
Israeli freedom of action to strike Iran, even under any future agreement.

He also opposes any ‘sunset clause’ seeking permanent restrictions that would entrench Israel’s strategic dominance in the region.

None of this aligns with the trajectory of US–Iran diplomacy.

While the Trump administration has yet to spell out the precise parameters of a potential agreement, early signals from Washington point to a more limited objective than Israel has been demanding.

The focus appears to be on extending Iran’s nuclear breakout timeline and preventing weaponisation — rather than eliminating uranium enrichment altogether or dismantling Iran’s ballistic missile programme.

In effect, the White House seems to be testing whether an imperfect but enforceable deal is achievable before turning to escalation.

That approach reflects a calculation that containing Iran’s nuclear advances, even partially, may be preferable to the risks of confrontation or military action.

At the same time, President Trump has sharpened his rhetoric.

He reiterated his commitment to negotiations but paired it with a stark warning: if Iran fails to reach a nuclear deal with Washington, the outcome would be, in his words, “very traumatic”.

For the first time, Trump also attached a timeframe to that ultimatum, suggesting that diplomacy has a limited window — roughly the next month — before consequences follow.

The message from Washington is deliberate ambiguity: diplomacy remains the preferred path, but the clock is now publicly ticking.

The timing of Netanyahu’s trip is critical. Netanyahu advanced the visit shortly after the first round of US–Iran talks, signalling urgency — and concern.

Israeli officials feared momentum: that negotiations might move ahead before Israel could shape their parameters.

That fear appears well-founded. While Trump continues to issue rhetorical threats toward Iran, his actions suggest a preference for testing diplomacy before escalating militarily.

Domestic pressures and political stakes

Netanyahu’s urgency is also driven by domestic considerations.

His governing coalition faces mounting pressures, including disputes over military conscription exemptions for ultra-Orthodox parties, budget constraints linked to prolonged wartime expenditures, and ongoing public dissatisfaction following the October 7 attacks and subsequent regional escalation.

A dramatic confrontation with Iran — or even the perception that he is leading one — would be politically transformative.

Iran remains one of the few issues in Israel that still commands near-consensus across coalition and opposition lines.

Netanyahu knows that. He has long positioned himself as the indispensable guardian against Tehran, and he needs to show Israeli voters that Washington remains closely aligned with him.

That explains the repeated emphasis, aimed at domestic audiences, on “coordination” with the US — even when public evidence of such coordination is thin.

According to Israeli assessments, Netanyahu brought intelligence to Washington intended to cast doubt on Iran’s intentions, including claims that Tehran is stalling negotiations, continuing executions, and refusing to engage seriously on missiles.

But if this intelligence was meant to derail diplomacy, it appears not to have succeeded.

Trump’s team — including Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Marco Rubio, and others — listened.

But the White House has not embraced Israel’s conclusion that negotiations are futile.

Instead, it appears determined to test whether a deal is possible, even if imperfect. That leaves Israel preparing for an alternative outcome.

The prevailing assessment in Israel is that talks may ultimately fail — either because Iranian demands prove incompatible with US red lines, or because Israel’s demands make an agreement politically or technically impossible.

That is precisely why Netanyahu insists on keeping the military option alive.

Behind closed doors, the three-hour meeting likely went beyond negotiating positions to contingency planning: what happens if talks collapse, how far Israel can act independently, and what level of US support or tolerance it might expect.

Israel’s core demand remains unchanged: freedom of action.

Despite public expressions of unity, Netanyahu and Trump are approaching Iran from different strategic premises.

Trump appears to value flexibility and leverage, using the prospect of force to extract concessions while keeping diplomatic channels open.

Netanyahu seeks permanence: structural constraints that prevent Iran from re-emerging as a threshold nuclear power under any future political configuration.

What binds them — at least for now — is political self-interest. Both prefer to avoid public confrontation. Both face domestic calculations. And both understand the risks of escalation.

For Netanyahu, however, the Washington visit underscored an uncomfortable reality: Israel can influence US policy, but it does not control it.

Diplomacy is moving forward — whether Israel likes it or not. – TRTWorld

News

Netanyahu: ‘Epstein Didn’t Work For Israel’

CrossFireArabia
February 7, 2026

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used the renewed focus on the Epstein files to attack his predecessor Ehud Barak, saying that Jeffrey Epstein “did not work for Israel.”

The Jerusalem Post daily reported that Barak’s ties to Epstein received extensive media attention after the two met several times in 2015 and 2016, years after Epstein’s first criminal conviction. Photos circulated at the time showed Barak entering Epstein’s Manhattan residence in New York.

In his first public comment on the Epstein documents, Netanyahu wrote on US social media company X that Epstein’s “unusual close relationship with Ehud Barak doesn’t suggest Epstein worked for Israel. It proves the opposite.”

“Stuck on his election loss from over two decades ago, Barak has for years obsessively attempted to undermine Israeli democracy by working with the anti-Zionist radical left in failed attempts to overthrow the elected Israeli government,” he added, referring to his own administration.

Netanyahu accused Barak of engaging “in activities publicly and behind the scenes to undermine the government of Israel, including fueling mass protest movements, fomenting unrest and feeding false media narratives,” according to Anadolu.

Barak has been a vocal critic of Netanyahu for years and has repeatedly called for the government’s removal.

In mid-2025, Barak joined about 3,000 Israeli medical and health professionals in signing petitions urging the government to secure the return of captives held by Palestinian factions in Gaza, even if it required halting the war that began on Oct. 8, 2023, and lasted two years.

On Friday, US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the release of more than 3 million additional files to the public as part of the Epstein investigations.

Epstein, an American financier accused of running a large-scale sex trafficking operation involving underage girls, some as young as 14, was found dead in a New York jail in 2019 while in custody.

The case files include the names of numerous high-profile figures, among them the former British prince Andrew, former US President Bill Clinton, current US President Donald Trump, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, singer Michael Jackson, and former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson.

News

Little Hind Rajab: Killed by Israeli Bullets

CrossFireArabia
January 31, 2026

On the second anniversary of Israel’s killing of five-year-old Hind Rajab who pleaded by phone to be rescued during the Gaza genocide, human rights organizations and advocates have renewed their calls for accountability and justice for Palestinians amid Israel’s ongoing attacks.

On January 29, 2024, Hind was killed while trying to flee to safety after the car she was traveling in with her relatives was fired on by an Israeli tank. Everyone in the vehicle was killed except Hind and her 15-year-old cousin, Layan, who called the Palestinian Red Crescent begging for help.

Layan was killed shortly after, leaving Hind alone on the line.

Two medics dispatched in a clearly marked Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance to rescue her were also targeted by Israeli tank fire as they approached. Despite coordinating their route with Israeli forces and maintaining direct contact during the mission, their ambulance was struck, killing both medics instantly. The destroyed vehicle was later found near the site where Hind’s car had been attacked with 335 bullet holes.

A recording of the phone call was widely shared on social media after her death, causing renewed international outrage over Israel’s attacks on civilians.

Rajab is heard sobbing and telling the Red Crescent Society, “Please come to me, please come. I’m scared”, while bullets were fired in the background.

💔For over three hours, Hind has desperately pleaded with our teams for rescue from the occupation tanks surrounding her, enduring gunfire and the horror of being alone, trapped among the bodies of her relatives shot by the Israeli forces in front of her eyes. The PRCS heroes… pic.twitter.com/VT00WJaP1B
— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) February 3, 2024

Hind’s mother, Wissam Hamada, said, “The whole world has left us to die, to go hungry, to live in fear and to be forcibly displaced without doing anything.”

In June 2024, Al Jazeera investigated the attack, providing a detailed reconstruction of the incident, in collaboration with nonprofit investigative groups Forensic Architecture and Earshot and revealed that an Israeli tank was just 13 to 23 metres (42 to 75 feet) away when it opened fire on Rajab’s car.

Moreover, a United Nations report in July 2024 found, citing forensic analysis, that Rajab’s car was shot at from “very close range using a type of weapon that can only be attributed to the Israeli forces”.

Marking the second anniversary, the The Hind Rajab Foundation, a Belgium-based pro-Palestine group which leads a legal push against Israeli soldiers’ war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza and was named after the five-year-old child , said, “Many — including Israeli leaders and the thousands of soldiers and officers under their command — act as if justice will never catch up with the crimes Israel commits. Many believe the relentless assault on the universal values enshrined in international law will continue without consequence.”

“We build files. We compile forensics. We gather testimony. We track perpetrators. We prepare arrests, extraditions, and charges.

Hind rajab – 5 years old – 355 bullets

Never forget. pic.twitter.com/WgtrsR4jZS
— ADAM (@AdameMedia) January 28, 2026

The pathway from filing a case to conviction is arduous.”

“This does not mean justice will never be served. It means justice is a process — and we, the lawyers, advocates, and war-criminal hunters, will not be deterred.”

Social media activists shared posts recalling Hind’s final moments, along with her photographs, accompanied by messages of ‘Rest in peace’ and ‘Never Forget’.

DONT FORGET WHAT THIS MONSTER DID TO 6 YEAR OLD HIND RAJAB pic.twitter.com/ALXejBhH7U
— Sulaiman Ahmed (@ShaykhSulaiman) January 26, 2026

Amnesty International said, “Hind is one of the at least 20,179 children who have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza since October 2023 – according to the latest reports from the United Nations. The real figure is likely much higher.”

“Justice for Hind Rajab requires not only her killers to be brought to justice. The architects of the genocide in Gaza must be held accountable too. Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant must face trial at the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity,” according to the Quds News Network.