Netanyahu responds to Trump's "F**k him," defends congrats to Biden

In a statement Friday, Netanyahu said:

“I highly appreciate President Trump’s big contribution to Israel and its security. I also appreciate the importance of the strong alliance between Israel and the U.S. and therefore it was important for me to congratulate the incoming President."

Why it matters: Now opposition leader, Netanyahu is waging a continuous campaign to win back the prime minister's office while on trial for corruption.

• One of his primary political calling cards is his close relationship with key players in U.S. politics, and with one man in particular who remains hugely popular in Israel: Trump.
• Trump told me that by the end of his presidency, he had concluded that Netanyahu didn’t really want peace with the Palestinians and was using him on Iran.

What's next: My interview with Trump will feature in a new season of Axios' "How It Happened" podcast, to be released on Monday. Subscribe.

Go deeper: Read the full Trump interview.