Prez: NExt time in Jerusalem
Bibi & Don tout embassy move & ‘best relationship’
President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday celebrated the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in their f irst stateside meeting since the decision was announced — and Trump said he might visit Israel for the new embassy’s dedication.
“We have, I would say, probably the best relationships right now with Israel that we ever had,” Trump said at the White House sit-down, citing Jerusalem as the main reason.
“Many presidents were discussing whether or not to make that decision, and they promised it in their campaigns but they never were able to do what they should have done. So I was able to do it, and I think it’s something that’s very much appreciated in Israel.”
Netanyahu thanked Trump for the recognition, which was panned in much of the Mideast as yet another roadblock to peace in the region.
“This was a historic procla- mation followed by your bold decision to move the embassy by our upcoming National Independence Day,” Netanyahu said, referring to the May 14 holiday.
When the Israeli leader invited Trump to the embassy opening, he responded: “We’re looking at coming. If I can, I will.”
Both men presented a united front in dealing with Iran.
“If I had to say what is our greatest challenge in the Middle East to both our countries,
to our Arab neighbors, it’s encapsulated in one word: Iran,” Netanyahu said.
“Iran must be stopped. That is our common challenge,” he said.
During his remarks to reporters, Trump predicted that the US could broker a deal between the Israelis and Palestinians — even though the Palestinian leadership broke off talks.
“I can tell you, we’re working very hard at doing that and I think we have a very good chance. The Palestin- ians, I think, are wanting to come back to the table very badly,” he said.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, angered by Trump’s Jerusalem move, has refused to engage with the US on Middle East peace, prompting Trump to delay the rollout of peace proposals.
Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in law and point man on the peace talks, has been on the defensive amid investigations into alleged meddling by Russia in the 2016 presidential campaign.
Meanwhile, as part of a corruption investigation into Netanyahu, one of the prime minister’s closest confidants will give Israeli cops recordings of conversations between Netanyahu and his wife, a new report said Monday.
Nir Hefetz, known as Netanyahu’s “spin doctor,” will also testify against him in several ongoing corruption investigations, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.
In return for his testimony, Hefetz will not stand trial or face prison time.