Ex-CIA director and US defence secretary Leon Panetta, Donald Trump would offer Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “blank cheque” in the Middle East once he takes office, potentially paving the door for a full-scale conflict between Israel and Iran.
He said that Israel would receive his approval for every action taken by the president-elect, who defeated Democratic candidate Kamala Harris to win the presidency this week and will return to office in January
“With regards to the Middle East, I think he’s basically going to give Netanyahu a blank check,” he said via the Guardian, UK.”
Whatever you do, whatever you want to do, whoever you want to go after, you have my blessing.’ I mean, he basically said that [before the election].”
Since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel last year, Netanyahu has presided over attacks on Iran and its assets as part of an expanding conflict.
During the US election campaign, he reportedly spoke with the US president-elect.