Netanyahu slams Trump for inviting antisemitic guests to dinner

ANKARA

Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday condemned the dinner gathering for former US President Donald Trump in which he hosted two guests accused of being antisemitic and Holocaust deniers.

Netanyahu described Trump's meeting with white supremacist Nick Fuentes and rapper Kanye West, both of which accused of being antisemitic, as a "mistake," a first criticism in-public to Trump by Netanyahu who had strong ties with him during his tenure.

"President Trump’s decision to dine with this person I think is wrong and misplaced. I think it’s a mistake. He shouldn’t do that," Netanyahu said in an interview with American journalist Bari Weiss.

Netanyahu, however, acknowledged how Trump was supportive to him while in power as the first US president to move the US embassy to Jerusalem but hoped that his "mistake not repeated."

Trump's meeting with the guests was also met with many condemnations from US congress members and Jewish groups in the US.

The criticism has also come from Trump's former senior officials. Elan Carr, the ex-president's special envoy to combat antisemitism, implored Trump to "condemn these dangerous men and their disgusting and un-American views."

"No responsible American, and certainly no former President, should be cavorting with the likes of Nick Fuentes and Kanye West. To placate antisemitism is to promote antisemitism," he wrote on Twitter.

On November 15, Trump announced he is running again for president in 2024, yet, such incident would cast shadows on his chances to return back to the White House.