President Donald Trump received a controversial gift from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his White House visit on Tuesday. What was it? A golden beeper that stands to be a symbol of a deadly operation that took place last year. The beeper was inscribed with the words “Press with both hands.” The same was presented to Trump as a nod to a covert Israeli intelligence strike that targeted Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon and Syria.
The attack, which was carried out last September, claimed 39 lives and led to over 3,400 injuries, including children and healthcare workers, according to Reuters. After accepting the beeper, Trump reportedly responded, “That was a major operation.” The Associated Press quoted an unnamed Israeli official during the confirmation of the exchange.
The Israeli operation that was orchestrated by Mossad, involved rigging thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies; devices that were secretly sold to Hezbollah operatives over the years—to detonate remotely. The large-scale explosion had targeted Hezbollah communications networks. It killed an 8-year-old girl, an 11-year-old boy, and four medical personnel.
The attack was personally approved by Netanyahu. Later, his spokesperson confirmed his involvement in December. After the operation, Israeli officials briefed their American counterparts on the details, PBS News reported.
Netanyahu’s beeper gift seemed to celebrate the success of the covert strike. On the other hand, Trump reciprocated the gesture with a signed photograph of the two leaders. A photo was shared by Netanyahu’s son Yair, to bring to light Trump’s message. It read, “To Bibi, A great leader!”
Netanyahu’s visit to the White House is the first meeting between Trump and a foreign leader since his second term began. But it wasn’t just the beeper that raised concerns. But, the meeting also made headlines due to Trump’s stunning declaration that the U.S. ‘will take over the Gaza Strip.’
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Trump’s remarks on Gaza triggered immediate backlash from world leaders. Saudi Arabia rejected the idea of forced Palestinian displacement. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted Palestinians “must be allowed home.” Officials from France and Germany condemned any forced movement as they took examples of violations of international law. In the U.S., Representative Al Green (D-Texas) announced plans to introduce impeachment articles against Trump over his statements. That’s a signal of possible legal and political challenges ahead.
The White House has yet to comment on the growing controversy surrounding both the morbid gift from Netanyahu and Trump’s remarks on Gaza.
