In video: Protesters and kidnapped families block Ayalon Darom/photo: Erez Harel
Some of the families of abductees, who have American citizenship, told Prime Minister Netanyahu this evening (Thursday) that they receive better treatment from the White House than from the Prime Minister's office. In response, Netanyahu said that an Israeli prime minister should know how to say no to the president of the United States. "The Americans also told Ben-Gurion not to establish a state," he told the families.
Two sources, who took part in the meeting that took place this evening between Netanyahu and the families of the abductees, told about the criticism that the families passed on the prime minister. The families talked about the treatment they receive from the American government and said that "not only do they embrace us in the White House, but they also give us a platform and keep us informed. We don't get that from the Israeli government."
The families of the abductees: "At the White House they give us a platform and keep us updated." Biden/Reuters
The families also added to Netanyahu that they ask him to maintain normal relations with the United States and with President Biden, despite their differences. The families emphasized that it is important to keep the issue of the abductees as an issue that receives bipartisan support in the United States.
The two sources who participated in the meeting stated that in response the Prime Minister said that throughout history the Americans have pressured Israel many times and were wrong. He added that there were many prime ministers who said no to the United States and he also says no to the United States when he thinks it is necessary.
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The families of the abductees before the meeting with Netanyahu/official website, spokesmen from the headquarters of the families of the abductees
Netanyahu noted that the Americans, among other things, told David Ben-Gurion not to establish a state, but he did establish a state. He added that they told Levi Eshkol not to go to the Six Day War but he went to war, and finally he noted that the Americans told Begin not to bomb the Iraqi reactor, but he bombed anyway. "All these were the right things to do," Netanyahu said.
According to the sources, the Prime Minister noted that at the beginning of the war the Americans tried to scare Israel and claim that a ground entry would result in a huge amount of casualties, and that this did not happen. "Even now we are doing the right thing for Israel despite what the Americans say," he said.
"Disappointed by the US decision not to veto", Netanyahu/Flash 90, Chaim Goldberg
Netanyahu added and noted that he was very angry at the US's choice not to veto the UN resolution that called for a ceasefire and the release of the abductees. Some of the family members told Netanyahu that a decision that passed was very close to another decision that did not pass a few days earlier, after Russia and China vetoed it. "This is a completely different decision. They took down the connecting sentence. I am very angry and disappointed. As soon as Hamas danced and rejoiced, it means we gave them a victory," Netanyahu replied.
Finally, Netanyahu told the families of the abductees that the United States is not putting enough pressure on Qatar. He reiterated that he was very disappointed that the Americans renewed the contract with Qatar on the military base. "They are ready to put more pressure on Qatar," he said.
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