The two engaged in a bizarre tweet battle culminating in the Israeli prime minister’s son lashing out with what reads like malicious intent.
Yair Netanyahu, the son of Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, clashed with the former US ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk, culminating in Yair accusing the former diplomat of “trying to destroy the Jewish state,” Haaretz reported Sunday.
The clash started after Indyk posted a Channel 13 news story by Barak Ravid, which alleged that the Israeli PM had frantically called US President Donald Trump after Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif made a surprise visit to France during the G7 summit in a bid to stop the American leader from meeting with Tehran’s top diplomat.
“I’ve been on the other end of those phone calls many times from desperate Bibi aides insisting that he has to speak to the President or SecState IMMEDIATELY. When he’s in panic mode the fact that the President is in meetings with other world leaders is irrelevant,” Indyk, who served at senior diplomatic roles during the Clinton administration, tweeted Thursday.
The post plucked a heartfelt string in PM Netanyahu’s son, who offered an emotional response.
”Wow. The prime minister of Israel insisted to talk to president Clinton as equal and see himself as a world leader and not as a ghetto Jew or as a court jew. I know it’s hard for you to see a proud Jew. You guys are used to Epstein type (sic),” the Israeli PM’s tweeted, referring to connection between the deceased pedophile and the former US president.
The altercation ended momentarily, only to spark again as Yair alleged that Ravid, the author of the Trump-Bibi story, is ostracized in the White House.
“I know for a fact that Barak Ravid is boycotted in the American administration for his lies and fake news. Nobody there talk to him. Not even the person that makes the coffee in the White House. Fake news!” Yair tweeted, using Trump’s favorite motto.
The former ambassador promptly responded, claiming the allegation could not be farther from the truth.
“Hi everyone. I know for a fact that Barak Ravid has excellent sources in the Trump Administration. Many people talk to him and his Axios colleagues. Including the people who make coffee. Fake news indeed!” Indyk tweeted.
Unsurprisingly, the younger Netanyahu could not let this slide, and what he tweeted raised more than one eyebrow.
“Hi Martin thank god you have connections in this administration and this WH like I did at the [sic] obama’s (aka none). So sorry that your endeavor to destroy the Jewish state in the 90s didn’t succeed. Try next time,” Yair tweeted.
The former ambassador took the high road by subsequently tweeting: “Lol.”
Possibly the final word on this high-level internet drama, it remains unclear whether Yair will follow up, although netizens are stocking up on popcorn.
US President Donald Trump has displayed significant support to Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu as evidenced by the former’s foreign policy moves, most notably by unilaterally recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moving the US embassy to that location. Trump is also known for his propensity for the unexpected meetings with world leaders and attempting to make deals – most notably, of course, his several meetings with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.