Israel would not exist today if Benjamin Netanyahu were not the country’s prime minister, US President Donald Trump said during a meeting with the Israeli leader outside his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. Netanyahu met Trump to discuss the next phase of the fragile Gaza truce, as well as broader regional issues, including Iran.

Trump warned that if Tehran were to rebuild its nuclear facilities, the United States would “knock them down.

” Speaking alongside Trump, Netanyahu praised the US president, saying, “We have never had a friend like President Trump in the White House — it’s not even close. You can judge that not by the frequency of our meetings, but by their content and intensity.”

“I think Israel is very blessed to have President Trump leading the United States — and I would say leading the free world — at this time,” Netanyahu added.

“It’s not only Israel’s great fortune; I think it’s the world’s great fortune.” Trump, in turn, described his relationship with Netanyahu as “extraordinary” and recalled addressing Israel’s parliament. “We have a great relationship. It was a great honour to speak before your leaders at the Knesset in October,” he said. Praising Netanyahu’s leadership, Trump said, “Bibi’s a strong man. He can be very difficult on occasion, but you need a strong man. If you had a weak man, you wouldn’t have Israel right now. Israel, with most other leaders, would not exist today.”