Trump Reiterates 'There'd Be No Israel' If It Weren't For Him Before Qatar Emir At G7

Published 16 June 2026 · world

Trump Reiterates 'There'd Be No Israel' If It Weren't For Him Before Qatar Emir At G7 Published By, Last Updated: June 16, 2026, 16:20 IST

Trump Reiterates 'There'd Be No Israel' If It Weren't For Him Before Qatar Emir At G7 Published By, Last Updated: June 16, 2026, 16:20 IST While Tehran has repeatedly stressed that Lebanon must be included in any ceasefire arrangement with Washington, Israel remains at odds with that position U.S. President Donald Trump said there would be 'no Israel' if not for him | File photo credit: AFP U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated on Tuesday that there would be “no Israel" if it were not for him, calling on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be “more responsible" with respect to Lebanon. While Tehran has repeatedly stressed that Lebanon must be included in any ceasefire arrangement with Washington, Israel remains at odds with that position, reportedly seeking to continue its military campaign against Hezbollah. In a meeting with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Evian, France, Trump said: “Without me, there would be no Israel, because no other president was willing to do what I did".

Acknowledging his “great relationship" with Netanyahu, Trump stressed that he should be “more responsible" with respect to Lebanon. ‘Iran Deal Will Survive Even If…’ Asked if the Iran deal — which was announced by President Trump and mediator Pakistan on Sunday to end the ongoing conflict — he said: “I consider that the minor war". “Iran’s the big one, but we have that little pinprick out there that constantly rears its head and that’s Hezbollah", he added. Trump also appeared critical of Israel’s military actions in Beirut as he acknowledged that “too many people are being killed" in the region. “You don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody because there’s a lot of people in those apartment houses – and they’re not all Hezbollah". Trump revealed he had suggested Israel let Syria “take care" of Hezbollah, asserting it would do a better job.

“I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah because to be honest with you, I think they’d do a better job of doing it," the U.S. President said. U.S.-Iran Deal On Sunday, the U.S. and Iran agreed to strike a deal to end the conflict in West Asia, with an official signing ceremony scheduled to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, on Friday. Although President Donald Trump’s initial announcement lacked mention of Lebanon, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the both sides had declared “the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon". The pact will extend a ceasefire for 60 days, paving the way for both sides to negotiate deal of a final agreement. Trump said on Sunday that he had ordered the immediate removal of a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports. He expressed confidence that the Strait of Hormuz — a key maritime chokepoint which accounts for nearly one-fifth of the global energy trade — would re-open after the initial agreement.