A new book by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan says President Donald Trump lost his temper with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the final stretch of negotiations over the Gaza ceasefire agreement. The confrontation, which took place during the UN General Assembly in September, reportedly came days before the public announcement of the deal and reflected how tense relations had become between the two leaders.
According to the book, Trump told Netanyahu on a phone call that “everyone is sick of you” and that “all the Jews are tired of you,” including “the two Jews on this call,” referring to Jared Kushner and White House envoy Steve Witkoff. Trump also told Netanyahu he could not back away from the arrangement, said he was “the best friend Israel has ever had,” and insisted, “It’s a great deal for Israel.”
The book says the crisis began after an Israeli airstrike on September 9 in Doha, Qatar, targeting Hamas leaders, one day after Kushner and Witkoff met at Witkoff’s Miami home with Ron Dermer to discuss plans for Gaza’s “day after.” Kushner and Witkoff later told senior White House officials, “Dermer lied to us,” while Kushner allegedly said, “I’m out. The Israelis are crazy.” Qatar initially reacted by stopping aid to Israel.
That anger pushed Kushner to help shape Trump’s 20-point peace plan. Days later, Kushner and Witkoff met Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and offered him a choice between isolating Israel further or using the moment to pressure it into talks. Al Thani chose the second path and edited the draft on Kushner’s laptop. The book says Trump first briefed Arab and Muslim leaders before Netanyahu, and when Netanyahu later called, Susie Wiles connected Trump, Kushner, and Witkoff on the line. Despite the blowup, Netanyahu eventually agreed, and the two later presented a united front. The agreement was finalized on the evening of October 8, and soon afterward 20 living hostages were released from Gaza.
