Israel tried to convince the Trump administration not to open direct talks with Hamas, according to a report published Friday, with at least one phone call between a top aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a senior US diplomat turning heated.
Earlier this week, US officials revealed that they were engaged in talks with Hamas over the possibility of releasing American citizens being held by the militant group.
The talks have been held in the Qatari capital of Doha and led by President Donald Trump’s special envoy for hostage affairs, Adam Boehler.
Boehler had a call with Netanyahu’s aide, Ron Dermer, this week after the latter reportedly found out through “other channels.”
Washington has said it consulted with Israel ahead of the talks and informed them of the ongoing negotiations.
“Israel’s concerns over the Trump administration’s secret negotiations with Hamas erupted in a contentious call Tuesday between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-hand man and the US official leading the talks,” Axios reported on Friday, citing an unnamed Israeli official and another unnamed source.
The report characterized the call as a “difficult” one, with the Israeli official voicing frustration with the US making any proposals on the Gaza war without Israel’s approval.
Separately, in what is also expected to trouble Israeli officials, the US president said on Friday that he had sent a letter to Iran’s supreme leader.
Trump told Fox News that he sent the letter on Thursday, urging Tehran to engage in talks with the US over a nuclear deal.
“The other alternative is you have to do something because Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said, adding that he preferred a negotiated deal because the people of Iran were “great people.”
“If we have to go in militarily, it’s going to be a terrible thing for them,” he said.
