Flashback: Trump's row with Zelenskyy recalls Obama, Biden humiliations of Netanyahu | Fox News
By: Benjamin Weinthal (Fox News)
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JERUSALEM, Israel - Democratic lawmakers' reactions to last week's public row between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy set off a firestorm of criticism, yet comparisons of how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was treated by Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama have critics calling foul.
Former Presidents Obama and Biden publicly humiliated Netanyahu, according to media reports, and the Israeli leader, in sharp contrast to Zelenskyy, did not garner the same solidarity from many European leaders and legacy media outlets.
Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs President Dan Diker told Fox News Digital, "The real question is why the international media, European powers and social networks were noticeably unsympathetic to Israel and its PM Netanyahu during the Obama and Biden administrations, dressing down and even humiliation of Netanyahu during and in between White House visits, in contrast to the immediate and widespread international sympathy for Zelenskyy following his 100 mph head on collision with and excoriation by President Trump and VP Vance?"
Dicker continued, saying, "Broadcast around the world, we remember Obama's dumping of the Netanyahu-led delegation to the White House in 2010 and the Biden administration's overall maximum political pressure campaigns to force Israel to yield to American demands."
TRUMP SAYS ZELENSKYY CAN 'COME BACK WHEN HE IS READY FOR PEACE' AFTER FIERY WHITE HOUSE EXCHANGE
President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as Vice President JD Vance reacts at the White House, Feb. 28, 2025.(Reuters/Brian Snyder/File Photo)
There are striking parallels between the two countries — Ukraine and Israel — which are at war against anti-democratic regimes. Israel has been waging a multi-front existential war against Iranian regime proxies (Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis and other forces) since October 2023. Russia invaded Ukraine a little more than three years ago and absorbed a chunk of the country's territory. Ukraine is fighting for its life.
However, one key difference is the outrage over the White House spat with Zelenskyy was not mirrored in the same way in the court of public opinion after Biden and Obama launched verbal attacks, including profanity-laced tirades, against Netanyahu.
After the 2024 State of the Union speech, Biden was caught on a hot mic on the House floor, where Biden said he and Netanyahu would have a "come to Jesus" moment soon.
Biden warned Israel that invading Rafah would be crossing a "red line." Israel defied Biden and secured the freedom of some hostages held by the Hamas terrorist organization in Rafah.
After Israel entered Rafah, Biden reportedly said of Netanyahu, "He's a f---ing liar."
Biden called Netanyahu "a pain in my a--" and said "he's been killing me lately."
According to Politico columnist Jonathan Martin, Biden termed Netanyahu a "bad f---ing guy."
BIDEN'S HISTORY OF BERATING, SCOLDING AND INSULTING REPORTERS, FROM 'STUPID SON OF A B----' TO 'GET EDUCATED'
President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on Sept. 1, 2010.(Ron Sachs-Pool/Getty Images)
Biden's seemingly relentless attacks on Netanyahu continued with Israel's self-defensive measures against the Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah and its chief strategic partner, the Islamic Republic of Iran. The U.S. government has designated Hezbollah a terrorist entity and classified Iran as the world's worst state-sponsor of terrorism.
Reuters reported that "War," a book by the journalist Bob Woodward, noted that Biden regularly accused Netanyahu of having no strategy and shouted "Bibi, what the f----?" at him in July after Israeli strikes near Beirut and in Iran.
The Obama administration laid the foundation to delegitimize Netanyahu and create "daylight" between Israel and the United States, argued experts on U.S.-Israel relations.
Obama refused to pose with Netanyahu for photographers during the Israeli leader's White House visit in 2010 and held a private dinner without the prime minister, which was said to have been a breach of custom.
President Joe Biden shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as they meet at the United Nations in New York City on Sept. 20, 2023.(Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
KAMALA HARRIS TO SKIP NETANYAHU'S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS, WHILE TOP DEM SENATOR BOYCOTTS ALTOGETHER
When asked about his alleged conflict-ridden relationship with Netanyahu, Obama said in 2010, "I think that he is dealing with a very complex situation in a very tough neighborhood. And what I have consistently shared with him is my interest in working with him -- not at cross-purposes -- so that we can achieve the kind of peace that will ensure Israel's security for decades to come.
"And that's going to mean some tough choices. And there are going to be times where he and I are having robust discussions about what kind of choices need to be made."
The Obama administration frequently used anonymous government officials to channel Obama's views, according to critics. In 2014, the Atlantic magazine's Jeffery Goldberg reported that an unnamed Obama administration official termed Netanyahu "chickens---" regarding efforts to secure a peace deal with the Palestinians.
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office of the White House on Feb. 4, 2025.(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The strained relations between Obama and Netanyahu reached a head at the end of Obama's term in December 2016. Obama's alleged abandonment of Israel at the United Nations by allowing the United Nations Security Council to censure Israel prompted Netanyahu to term the move a "shameful ambush."
The 2016 U.N. Security Council resolution condemned Israel for building Jewish communities in the West Bank, the historic biblical region known in Israel as Judea and Samaria.
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Netanyahu's speeches to the U.S. Congress in 2015 (to argue against Obama's nuclear deal with Iran) and in 2024 (to defend Israel's war against the Iran-backed Hamas) ruffled the feathers of the Obama and Biden administrations.
Eugene Kontorovich, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital, "Democrats seethed for years that Netanyahu dared have a different policy than Obama. By this standard, Zelenskyy's open, argumentative bickering with President Trump and VP Vance at a press event should hang over the former comedian. However, President Trump has already expressed a willingness to reengage."
Fox News' Kristine Parks and Reuters contributed to this report.
Benjamin Weinthal reports on Israel, Iran, Syria, Turkey and Europe. You can follow Benjamin on Twitter @BenWeinthal, and email him at benjamin.weinthal@fox.com
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Guess it depends on the country and the degree of poutrage................and yes, But Biden, But Obama..........memories some times comes back to haunt........sigh
I thought Obama was a historic boon to America, until he stabbed Israel in the back at the UN, and Harris skipping Netanyahu's address to Congress cancelled her out in my mind. IMO trying to be Joni Mitchell with her "Both Sides Now" cost her the Presidency.
But it is okay if the new Nazi party disparages Jewish people, the overwhelming force is Orangeman bad, and that is where all judgement flows.
The overwhelming sentiment is convicted felon and accused rapist bad, as most people would imagine. Sadly, there is an apparently large segment of Americans who just love convicted felons and accused rapists. They and their bigoted bitch baby Trump are clearly an embarrassment to all patriotic Americans but they don't care, they don't give a shit about our country, they're too fucking self-absorbed to even care about siding with our Russian enemies that are determined to destroy western democracy, they just want to "own the libs!". They'd let Trump fondle their grandmothers as long as some toothless white trash piece of shit feels like it helped fight against Democrats.
And here I thought the left was all good with convicted felons. Or is that situation dependent like a convicted felon's overdose wrongfully ruled "murder by cop"?
Show us the public videos of any PotUS berating an ally like Trump and Vance did to Zelensky. Claims of private words and quips via a hot mic are not even remotely close.
The claims that aggressive words were used in private is a different situation. As I have noted, the problem is that Trump and Vance engaged in a PUBLIC unreasonable attack on Zelensky when Trump is ostensibly a neutral facilitator of a peaceful end of the war.
Of course people are trying to find ways to undo or soften the damage of that Oval office catastrophe. Cannot be done. It was too outrageous and the world has the video. Trump has successfully made the USA a nation of arrogant assholes.
Not only public, but while TASS was live streaming the event. Coincidence? And who invited TASS anyway? You need a specific invite to get in.
If you had bothered to watch it, Zelensky started the kerfuffle. Trying to pin this on Trump is simply blind partisanship and hero worship of Zelensky
Show us all how Zelensky started it. And then explain the unpresidential behavior of Trump (and Vance).
Vance started it. Trump escalated it. Zelensky was presidential.
Pathetic. Blind Trump support.
That's utter nonsense. Any objective viewing of that meeting could see two petulant children, dumb Donald and vacuous Vance, verbally attacking Zelensky who simply tries to defend his position and country and state facts as he was forced to fact check the dumb shits some fucking morons elected to the oval office. This was embarrassing on so many levels, yet what's most infuriating are all the people who not only seem to not care but are actually cheering on this behavior and our absolute capitulation to an enemy determined to undermine and destroy western democracy and our American ideals. There is no mistake, if you support Trump then you support the destruction of western civilization, our constitution and democracy in favor of fascism and authoritarian rule. It's that simple and couldn't be more disgusting to watch.
If YOU'D bothered to watch it, Vance started the kerfuffle demanding Zelensky thank Trump personally for doing nothing and calling Zelensky a dictator.
How about a blatant snub?
In unusual snub, Obama to avoid meeting Netanyahu | Reuters
Not even close to what took place in the Oval office. Or, for that matter, what took place prior to that when Trump irresponsibly and dishonestly PUBLICLY claimed that Ukraine started the war and that Zelensky is a dictator with a 4% approval rating.
Trump is an embarrassment who continues to damage our nation. Rooted on by people who think like you.
That whole comment is a matter of opinion.
No, Jeremy, Trump actually did claim Ukraine started the war. And it is Trump shitting on an ally while parroting the talking points of our adversary and the nation who invaded our ally. And this goes against what we stand for as a nation historically. And people like you DEMONSTRABLY root this on.
This is all fact.
Again, opinion. You see it as Trump shitting on somebody, I don't. Zelensky came to the WH to sign a deal, then he backed out of it. He wants security. The US isn't the only country that can provide that. There is all of Europe. Ukraine wants to part of NATO; then Zenensky should be talking to ALL of NATO.
IMHO, in a nut shell, Zenensky backed out of the deal, gave his own "list of demands" and was told "No".
Yes, you do not see it.
You've given me nothing to see other than opinion.