Netanyahu calls ‘rampage’ in DC ‘disgraceful,’ lauds Trump as Mideast peacemaker

08/01/2021

After lengthy delay, PM denounces assault on Capitol without naming president or specifying circumstances, says US democracy will prevail; then thanks Trump for peace breakthroughs

By Judah Ari Gross and Raoul Wootliff
7 January 2021

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday condemned the attack on the Capitol Building in Washington the previous day as “disgraceful,” saying it was the “opposite” of American and Israeli values, but went on to praise US President Donald Trump as a regional peacemaker.

The Israeli premier, a key Trump ally, made his remarks alongside US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, who was visiting Jerusalem after a trip to Khartoum in which the Sudanese government pledged to normalize ties with the Jewish state.

In his denunciation of the attack on the Capitol, which came several hours after most other world leaders decried the rampage, Netanyahu did not mention Trump by name or the circumstances in which the attack took place. The president has been accused by both Democrats and Republicans of inciting the attack, in which four people died, one by police gunfire and three others under unclear circumstances.

Netanyahu did, however, lavish praise on the US president shortly thereafter for his role in normalizing ties between Israel and several Arab countries.

“I want to thank President Trump and all of you in the administration for all you have done and are doing for peace. You’ve made a real difference, achieving one breakthrough after another, bringing the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan into the circle of peace. I have no doubt that more Arab and Muslim countries will follow,” Netanyahu said.