US President Donald Trump used foul language while criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the phone for his actions in the Middle East, Axios reported, citing its sources.
According to them, Trump called Netanyahu "crazy" and recalled his previous support for the prime minister: "If it weren't for me, you'd be in prison. Now everyone hates you. That's why everyone hates Israel.“
The American leader said that he helped Netanyahu avoid imprisonment for corruption and predicted further isolation of Israel on the international stage as a result of the strikes on Lebanon. According to Axios, the US president was deeply concerned by the large number of civilian casualties and the destruction of entire buildings in order to eliminate several commanders of the radical Shiite movement Hezbollah.
On June 1, the American leader announced that he had reached an agreement with Netanyahu and the Hezbollah leadership on a ceasefire in Lebanon. After a telephone conversation with the Israeli prime minister, the American leader said that Israeli troops “will not be sent to Beirut“.
Earlier, the Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that Tehran had cut off communication with Washington in protest against Israel's escalation in Lebanon. The United States and Iran have exchanged messages on a draft agreement that would extend the ceasefire and restore shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump expressed hope that the current ceasefire between Israel and the radical Shiite movement Hezbollah in Lebanon will be permanent.
“I spoke to Bibi Netanyahu today and asked him not to carry out a major attack on Beirut. Thank you, Bibi! I also spoke with representatives of Hezbollah leaders and they agreed to a ceasefire against Israel and its soldiers. Likewise, Israel agreed to a ceasefire against them“, he wrote on Truth Social.
“We'll see how long this lasts – "I hope it lasts forever," Trump concluded. The United States and Iran could finalize a memorandum of understanding next week, the US president announced. "I think we're talking about next week," he said in a telephone interview with ABC News when asked when the document would be finalized. The US leader added, however, that he did not agree with the previous version of the document because he was waiting for "a few more points" to be included in the memorandum.
Qatari authorities have acted as mediators to prevent Israeli strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut and consolidate the ceasefire in Lebanon, a diplomatic source told Al Jazeera.
According to the source, Qatari officials joined the mediation efforts on May 31, initiating contacts with the US side to facilitate de-escalation in southern Lebanon. On June 1, following Israeli threats to strike the southern suburbs of Beirut, Doha resumed consultations to prevent such an attack.
The source noted that Washington eventually informed the Qatari side that plans to strike the outskirts of the Lebanese capital had been canceled after a phone call between Trump and Netanyahu.
Hezbollah parliamentary group member Hassan Fadlallah confirmed his readiness for a comprehensive ceasefire, provided that Israel strictly observes it.
The Lebanese embassy in the United States announced that Hezbollah had agreed to cease shelling northern Israel in exchange for Israel refraining from striking the southern suburbs of Beirut.
„Lebanese authorities have received confirmation of Hezbollah’s agreement to accept the US proposal to cease mutual attacks“, the statement said. “According to the agreement, Israel will refrain from attacks on the southern outskirts of the capital, and Hezbollah will refrain from shelling Jewish settlements.“
The embassy statement stressed that the ceasefire would extend to all of Lebanon.
“US President Donald Trump contacted the Lebanese Ambassador to Washington, Nada Hamad-e-Moawad, and informed her that he had secured the agreement of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for his proposed ceasefire between the parties,“ the statement noted.
The Lebanese ambassador confirmed that the fourth round of Lebanese-Israeli talks would be held in Washington on June 2-3, where “the progress made will be discussed“.