Video of Trump Walking Away From Netanyahu Handshake Is Not Recent
The Claim
Trump walks off for the standing photo without shacking hands at first, but is reminded to come back.
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Emerging story
Following Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting with Donald Trump, social media users widely circulated a video clip purporting to show Trump initially walking away without shaking hands with Netanyahu for the photo before being reminded to come back and shake hands.
An X user shared the video and alleged, “Unbelievable! Trump looks completely disinterested in being close to Netanyahu. Watching Netanyahu’s face when he starts to walk away is a treat. I believe Trump will play the international peacemaker again if he gets into power. That is if he’s not taken out beforehand.”
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral footage and found the claim to be misleading.
After conducting a thorough reverse image search, Misbar’s team found the viral video to be older than claimed.
Outdated Video Shows Trump Walking Away From Netanyahu Handshake
Contrary to social media users’ circulating claims, the video was not shot after Netanyahu recently met with Donald Trump in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. The incident occurred in May 2017. The video shows Donald Trump accidentally walking away halfway through a handshake with Netanyahu before returning for further photographs.
ABC News released the original video on the X platform on May 22, 2017.
In addition, a longer video of the meeting between Trump and Netanyahu was uploaded to a YouTube channel at that time. In the video, it is apparent that Trump accidentally walked away before being asked to return to his position for further photos with the Israeli PM.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s Visit to Israel in 2017
On Monday, May 22, 2017, former U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Israel and was welcomed by former Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.
Trump also visited the Western Wall to pray and place a note on the wall. At the time, this visit marked the first time a sitting U.S. President had visited the Western Wall. During his visit to Israel, Trump emphasized the importance of strengthening the partnership between the United States and Israel.
Donald Trump Hosts Netanyahu Ahead of the 2024 U.S. Election
Former U.S. President Donald Trump highlighted his close relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their meeting at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Friday.
Netanyahu's meeting with Trump, the Republican nominee for the 2024 U.S. presidential election, followed discussions with Democratic President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris. Netanyahu praised the strong relationship between his government and Trump, mentioning significant policy shifts during Trump's presidency, such as moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal.
2024 U.S. Election: Kamala Harris Versus Donald Trump
With Joe Biden back at the White House and Kamala Harris and Donald Trump in full campaign mode, Vice President Kamala Harris delivered her first major campaign speech since securing enough support to become the Democratic Party's nominee for president. She criticized Republican candidate Donald Trump, stating that he wants to take America backward.
A new poll in New Hampshire shows Kamala Harris ahead of Donald Trump by six points.
Netanyahu's Misleading Claims at the U.S. Congress
On July 24, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech to the U.S. Congress that was widely applauded by the majority of its members. However, some of Netanyahu's claims were misleading and have been debunked by Misbar.
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