{"id":18543,"date":"2026-07-09T03:05:18","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T03:05:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/daizygedeon.com\/news-blogs-and-cultures\/2026\/07\/09\/who-pushed-for-war-journalist-says-netanyahu-urged-trump-to-strike-iran\/"},"modified":"2026-07-10T11:47:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T11:47:32","slug":"who-pushed-for-war-journalist-says-netanyahu-urged-trump-to-strike-iran","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/daizygedeon.com\/news-blogs-and-cultures\/2026\/07\/09\/who-pushed-for-war-journalist-says-netanyahu-urged-trump-to-strike-iran\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Pushed for War? Journalist Says Netanyahu Urged Trump to Strike Iran"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DajmhcJzSmi\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DajmhcJzSmi\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <\/p>\n<div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\"  xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DajmhcJzSmi\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Daizy Gedeon (@daizygedeon)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap is-cnvs-dropcap-bordered\">Who wanted this war the most?<\/p>\n<p>As the Middle East plunges deeper into conflict, a new debate is unfolding over who pushed the United States toward striking Iran.<\/p>\n<p>In a discussion between journalist Mehdi Hasan and investigative reporter Jonathan Swan, Swan argues that while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly urged military action against Iran for years, the final decision belonged to Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s too much of a theme of Netanyahu is the puppet master,\u201d Swan says, arguing that Trump ultimately chose to authorize the strikes himself.<\/p>\n<p>How much influence should a foreign leader have over decisions that could drag the United States into another Middle East war?<br \/>\nOne leader may have pushed. Another signed the order.<\/p>\n<p>And now, once again, ordinary civilians across the region are paying the price for decisions made in the halls of power.<\/p>\n<p>When bombs start falling, it matters who argued for war. It matters even more who chose to launch it.<br \/>\nWAKE UP PEOPLE.<\/p>\n<p>Source: @zeteo <\/p>\n<p>#Iran #Trump #Netanyahu #MiddleEast #War<\/p>\n<p>English Script:<br \/>\nMehdi Hassan: Trump listens to Bibi. Netanyahu makes the case for a lot of people who&#8217;ve been arguing about the war since your, excerpt in The Times. Now, in the book that&#8217;s out. It&#8217;s kind of exhibit A, right? When you hear people on the left say we went to war for Israel. They&#8217;ll often point to yours and Maggie&#8217;s reporting. They&#8217;ll say, we know from the New York Times, that Benjamin Netanyahu came to the Situation Room and made the case to Trump. That&#8217;s why we went to war. Because Israel persuaded Trump. Do you believe that that was the top factor? Had Netanyahu not come, had he not happened? Would we have gone to war? Did your reporting show that there were other factors pushing Trump?<\/p>\n<p>Jonathan Swan: So I think it&#8217;s a more nuanced situation than that. The thing that I think is very uncomfortable for the sort of anti interventionist right. The people who sort of, you know, Trump is the president of peace and he ran on no new wars. If you look at Trump&#8217;s record on Iran specifically, he&#8217;s obviously pretty comfortable with using military force. You know, in the first term, he killed Soleimani. And some of his advisers thought that was a rescue operation. He pulled America out of the Obama nuclear deal with Iran. And some of his advisers thought that was risky. During the interregnum period, 21 through 24. I think Trump&#8217;s feelings about Iran became even more personal. You know, he was briefed by the FBI that there were various plots to assassinate him and what have you. So he&#8217;s much more hawkish than his own team. There&#8217;s no question that Netanyahu made a very determined and aggressive campaign to bring Trump into the war. And, you know, if that didn&#8217;t happen, I can&#8217;t imagine that Trump just spontaneously would have done this operation. But I do think it&#8217;s a lot more nuanced. And I think\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Mehdi Hassan: It\u2019s necessary but not sufficient.<\/p>\n<p>Jonathan Swan: It really is. It really is. And there&#8217;s sort of I think there&#8217;s too much of a sort of theme of Netanyahu is the puppet master, because I just don&#8217;t think that&#8217;s true of what actually happened. I think Trump himself\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Mehdi Hassan: Trump had an instinct for it.<\/p>\n<p>Jonathan Swan: He really did. <\/p>\n<p>Mehdi Hassan: And Netanyahu came and exploited it. I think that&#8217;s right. That&#8217;s right.<\/p>\n<p>Mehdi Hassan: Trump listens to Bibi. Netanyahu makes the case for a lot of people who&#8217;ve been arguing about the war since your, excerpt in The Times. Now, in the book that&#8217;s out. It&#8217;s kind of exhibit A, right? When you hear people on the left say we went to war for Israel. They&#8217;ll often point to yours and Maggie&#8217;s reporting. They&#8217;ll say, we know from the New York Times, that Benjamin Netanyahu came to the Situation Room and made the case to Trump. That&#8217;s why we went to war. Because Israel persuaded Trump. Do you believe that that was the top factor? Had Netanyahu not come, had he not happened? Would we have gone to war? Did your reporting show that there were other factors pushing Trump?<\/p>\n<p>Jonathan Swan: So I think it&#8217;s a more nuanced situation than that. The thing that I think is very uncomfortable for the sort of anti interventionist right. The people who sort of, you know, Trump is the president of peace and he ran on no new wars. If you look at Trump&#8217;s record on Iran specifically, he&#8217;s obviously pretty comfortable with using military force. You know, in the first term, he killed Soleimani. And some of his advisers thought that was a rescue operation. He pulled America out of the Obama nuclear deal with Iran. And some of his advisers thought that was risky. During the interregnum period, 21 through 24. I think Trump&#8217;s feelings about Iran became even more personal. You know, he was briefed by the FBI that there were various plots to assassinate him and what have you. So he&#8217;s much more hawkish than his own team. There&#8217;s no question that Netanyahu made a very determined and aggressive campaign to bring Trump into the war. And, you know, if that didn&#8217;t happen, I can&#8217;t imagine that Trump just spontaneously would have done this operation. But I do think it&#8217;s a lot more nuanced. And I think\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Mehdi Hassan: It\u2019s necessary but not sufficient.<\/p>\n<p>Jonathan Swan: It really is. It really is. And there&#8217;s sort of I think there&#8217;s too much of a sort of theme of Netanyahu is the puppet master, because I just don&#8217;t think that&#8217;s true of what actually happened. I think Trump himself\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Mehdi Hassan: Trump had an instinct for it.<\/p>\n<p>Jonathan Swan: He really did. <\/p>\n<p>Mehdi Hassan: And Netanyahu came and exploited it. I think that&#8217;s right. That&#8217;s right.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>View this post on Instagram A post shared by Daizy Gedeon (@daizygedeon) Who wanted this war the most? As the Middle East plunges deeper into conflict, a new debate is&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18544,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,35,37,33,1],"tags":[],"powerkit_post_featured":[],"class_list":["post-18543","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-daizy-gedeon","category-israel-hamas-war","category-israel-hamas-war-live-updates","category-middle-east-news","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/daizygedeon.com\/news-blogs-and-cultures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18543","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/daizygedeon.com\/news-blogs-and-cultures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/daizygedeon.com\/news-blogs-and-cultures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/daizygedeon.com\/news-blogs-and-cultures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/daizygedeon.com\/news-blogs-and-cultures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18543"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/daizygedeon.com\/news-blogs-and-cultures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18543\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18558,"href":"https:\/\/daizygedeon.com\/news-blogs-and-cultures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18543\/revisions\/18558"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/daizygedeon.com\/news-blogs-and-cultures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18544"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/daizygedeon.com\/news-blogs-and-cultures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18543"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/daizygedeon.com\/news-blogs-and-cultures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18543"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/daizygedeon.com\/news-blogs-and-cultures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18543"},{"taxonomy":"powerkit_post_featured","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/daizygedeon.com\/news-blogs-and-cultures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/powerkit_post_featured?post=18543"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}