Tel-Aviwise: Last week, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, he brought him a special gift — a Golden Pager. This a symbolic gift celebrating Israel’s successful operation against Hezbollah, during which pager devices were previously utilized to hit particular terrorist targets in Lebanon.
WHY THE GOLDEN PAGER MATTERS
The Golden Pager is a signature of Israel’s New Wave of Anti-Terrorism plans. In September 2024, Israeli intelligence infiltrated pagers used by Hezbollah operatives to communicate and programmed them to explode, triggering a series of explosions across the country and in Syria. Around 3,000 Hezbollah terrorists were wounded, and close to 40 were killed in the operation.
After Israeli attacks on Hamas, Hezbollah had taken to using pagers as a secure means of communication to avoid being detected. Israel, however, took advantage of this dependence, transforming the equipment into death tools. Later, Netanyahu confirmed that he had approved the operation targeting secret Hezbollah networks.
A Symbol of Strategic Success
The gift from Netanyahu highlights the defence forces of Israel’s technological and strategic sophistication. In a speech while giving the Golden Pager, Netanyahu also stated that the award “embodies” Israel’s mission to continually fight against terrorism and “achieve security for the state.”
Trump’s Response
Thankful for the gift, Trump lauded it as a “brilliant move.” During their talks regarding Middle Eastern security and their bilateral relationship, he reaffirmed his backing of Israel.
This move both highlights the strength of the U.S.-Israel relationship and emphasizes the ongoing challenge of global terrorism. The Golden Pager is a testament to Israel’s inventiveness in planning counter-terrorism operations.