Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu led world leaders in congratulating former Donald Trump on his presidential election victory Wednesday, calling it “a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance” with the Jewish state.
“Congratulations on history’s greatest comeback!” Netanyahu posted on X early Wednesday, with a picture of himself and his wife Sara next to the president-elect.
“Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America,” Netanyahu said.
“This is a huge victory!” he wrote, signing off: “In true friendship, yours, Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu.”
Other world leaders also jumped to congratulate Trump, including Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said he hopes they will finally be able to end Russia’s war on Ukraine. “We look forward to an era of a strong United States of America under President Trump’s decisive leadership,” Zelenskey said.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also said he was eager to work with Trump after his “historic” win. “As the closest of allies, we stand shoulder to shoulder in defense of our shared values of freedom, democracy and enterprise,” he said.
Italy’s Giorgia Meloni also expressed confidence in an even stronger bond, saying their “unshakeable alliance, common values” and “historic friendship… will now strengthen even more.”
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, meanwhile, reflected just how astonishing Trump’s win was. “They threatened him with prison, they took his property, they wanted to kill him … and he still won,” Orban said.
Trump has told Netanyahu that he wants him to end the war in Gaza by the time he takes office in January.
Polls ahead of the election showed Trump had overwhelming support among Israeli citizens.
He had fumed at Netanyahu after he congratulated President Biden after the 2020 election had been called in his favor, accusing him of being disloyal.
Trump’s previous administration had taken unprecedented steps to support Israel — including dropping objections to its settlements in the West Bank and recognizing Jerusalem as its capital.
Trump claimed his decision to recognize Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights, which it captured from Syria in the 1967 war, helped Netanyahu win the Israeli elections in 2019.
“There was no one who did more for Netanyahu than me,” Trump told Axios at the time. “There was no one who did for Israel more than I did. And the first person to run to greet Joe Biden was Netanyahu.”
With Post wires
