Trump man talks peace

GREENBLATT DISCUSSES PALESTINE WITH NETANYAHU

US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Jason Greenblatt and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed ways to reach peace with the Palestinians as well as settlement construction, a statement said yesterday.

The meeting, held in Netanyahu’s Jerusalem office late on Monday, lasted five hours, according to the premier’s office.

The two “reaffirmed the joint commitment of both Israel and the United States to advance a genuine and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians that strengthens the security of Israel and enhances stability in the region,” the statement read.

They also “continued discussions relating to settlement construction in the hope of working out an approach that is consistent with the goal of advancing peace and security”.

The international community considers continuing settlement growth in the West Bank a major obstacle to peace.

According to the statement, Greenblatt “reaffirmed President Trump’s commitment to Israel’s security and to the effort to help Israelis and Palestinians achieve a lasting peace through direct negotiations”.

Greenblatt met Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah yesterday.

The statement cited Netanyahu as telling Greenblatt he believed “it is possible to advance peace” while Trump is in the White House.

Netanyahu met Trump at the White House last month.

The peace process has been deadlocked since April 2014 following the collapse of indirect negotiations led by then US Secretary of State John Kerry. – AFP