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Israeli MFA slams Europe for reaping benefits of Iran war after standing on sidelines

“This is how it always is in Europe,” said the ministry.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio shakes hands with with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the State Department in Washington, D.C., April 8, 2026.Photo by Kent Nishimura / AFP via Getty Images.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio shakes hands with with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the State Department in Washington, D.C., April 8, 2026.Photo by Kent Nishimura / AFP via Getty Images.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday accused European countries of standing on the sidelines during the war with Iran while benefiting from the weakening of the Islamic Republic’s military capabilities.

In an X post, the ministry shared a CNN segment with NATO chief Mark Rutte, who praised U.S. President Donald Trump for degrading Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities, which he said was “really very important for your and my safety, here in the U.S., in Europe, in the Middle East.”

“This is how it always is in Europe: they stand on the sidelines. keep their distance. At times they offer disclaimers or condemnations,” the Israeli ministry tweeted.

“Yet they always benefit from the results,” the post added.

Trump said on Tuesday evening that he had agreed to a “double-sided ceasefire” with the regime in Tehran after talking to the Pakistani prime minister and field marshal, who “requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran.”

If the Iranian regime agrees to the “complete, immediate and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” Trump stated.

“His heritage will be defined by whether he wins decisively against Iran or not,” Brig. Gen. (res.) Amir Avivi, of the Israel Defense and Security Forum, told JNS.
“The reports tonight are an earthquake for Israeli democracy,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted to X on Tuesday night.
In response to a question shouted from the press pool, the president said he would not resume strikes on Iran after the election.
“Aiding Hamas would require not just a single collaborator, but an extensive network,” Herzi Halevi said. “Yet, even after three years, not a single such person has been found.”