Lieberman: Trump Finds It Comfortable to Manage Israel Through His 'Puppet Baby'
Israeli Our Home party leader Avigdor Lieberman criticized Trump's comments describing Netanyahu as a 'puppet,' affirming that the final decision remains in the hands of the Israeli people.
Translated by Qiyas from سرمد — Original source
Avigdor Lieberman, head of the “Yisrael Beiteinu” party, responded to U.S. President Donald Trump’s support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he understands that Trump is very comfortable managing Israel through “his puppet, Bibi.”
Speaking to “103 FM” radio, affiliated with the “Maariv” newspaper, Lieberman said his view of the relationship between Trump and Netanyahu was uncomfortable, citing previous statements by Trump in which he claimed that Netanyahu “will not launch an attack in Beirut because I asked him not to,” and that “Bibi will do whatever I ask him to do.”
Lieberman considered that Trump “finds it very comfortable to manage Israel through Bibi as a puppet in his hand,” referring to Netanyahu.
In response to Trump’s warning against choosing another prime minister, Lieberman said: “I appreciate President Trump, who has truly done a great deal for the citizens of Israel, but the final decision remains in the hands of the citizens of Israel.”
He added: “Any leader elected in the State of Israel will know how to work very effectively with President Trump or anyone else. Nevertheless, we are an independent and sovereign state, and we must act accordingly. It is not my role to interpret what President Trump means, but the decision is ours.”
When asked about his reaction to comments by media personality Ynon Magal, who described “Yesh Atid” party leader Gadi Eisenkot as a “monkey,” Lieberman confirmed he was not surprised and said this was a racist coalition.
He pointed out that Netanyahu’s circles had also offended another ethnic community, and noted that there had also been pitiful attempts to imitate a Russian accent by Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Shikli.
