The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Rivals burnish foreign-policy credentials
Foreign policy is expected to feature strongly as Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump prepare for their presidential TV debate.
Democrat Mrs Clinton met Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu for less than an hour in Manhattan, after Republican Mr Trump sat down with him at the billionaire businessman’s residence in Trump Tower.
Mrs Clinton’s campaign said the two had an “indepth conversation”. She stressed “a strong and secure Israel is vital to the United States” and “reaffirmed unwavering commitment” to the relationship.
According to her campaign, Mrs Clinton stressed her support for the 10-year, $38billion (£30billion) military aid package signed between the two countries earlier the month – and her opposition to efforts to boycott Israel.
They also discussed Iran, the conflict in Syria and other regional challenges, including her support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict negotiated by the two parties, and not by an outside organisation like the United Nations Security Council.
Mr Trump and Mr Netanyahu discussed “at length” Israel’s use of a fence to help secure its borders, an example Mr Trump frequently cites when he is talking about the wall he wants to build between the US and Mexico.
“Trump recognised that Israel and its citizens have suffered far too long on the front lines of Islamic terrorism,” the campaign said in a statement.
“He agreed with Prime Minister Netanyahu that the Israeli people want a just and lasting peace with their neighbours, but that peace will only come when the Palestinians renounce hatred and violence and ac- cept Israel as a Jewish state.”
The meetings were designed to put Israel on a good footing with the next US president, but also served to showcase the candidates’ expertise in foreign policy in the shadow of their first TV debate last night, six weeks before election day.
Mrs Clinton, a former senator and secretary of state, often says that Mr Trump does not know enough about the world and lacks the temperament to be president.
Mr Trump has argued that he has extensive experience with foreign policy through his career as a business executive and blames Mrs Clinton for many of the nation’s stumbles in foreign policy.
The Trump campaign claimed that, during his meeting with Mr Netanyahu, the tycoon had promised “extraordinary strategic, technological, military and intelligence co-operation between the two countries” if he was elected.
Mr Trump’s campaign said the men, who have known each other for years, discussed “many topics important to both countries”, including “the special relationship between America and Israel and the unbreakable bond between the two countries”.
“Donald Trump recognised Israel has suffered too long on the front lines of Islamic terrorism”