Netanyahu gifts Trump 'golden pager'; what does it mean?
What's the story
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gifted United States President Donald Trump a "golden pager" when they met in Washington, DC. According to the Times of Israel, the gift is a reference to the covert operation that decimated the Hezbollah terror group last year. The operation saw thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies of Hezbollah operatives detonated, killing 37 and leaving thousands wounded.
PMO
Pager attack was a great operation: Trump
Netanyahu's office said that the gift "symbolizes the Prime Minister's decision that led to a turning point in the war and the starting point for breaking the will of the terrorist organization Hezbollah." The operation "expresses the power, technological superiority and cunning of Israel against its enemies," the PMO added. Reacting to the gift, Trump said, "That was a great operation,", according to Channel 12 news.
Twitter Post
The golden pager
🚨JUST IN: HERE IT IS FOLKS THE GOLDEN PAGER BIBI GAVE TRUMP 👇 pic.twitter.com/SzLEgj0z6F
— Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) February 6, 2025
Presidential reaction
Trump's response to Netanyahu's symbolic gift
The golden pager was mounted on wood with a plaque that read: "To President Donald J. Trump, Our greatest friend and ally. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu." Along with the golden pager, Netanyahu also gave Trump a regular pager during their meeting. In return, Trump gifted Netanyahu a signed photograph of the two leaders. The photo had the message: "To Bibi, A great leader!"
Operation
Israel's covert operation against Hezbollah
On September 17, 2024, thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah in Lebanon exploded, killing dozens and injuring thousands. The pagers, packed with explosives, were detonated via an encrypted message that forced users to hold the devices with both hands, increasing the risk of the subsequent detonation causing serious casualties. The next day, hundreds more walkie-talkies also exploded, killing and injuring many more.