President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday the they are working on a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians that would involve a number of other Middle Eastern countries.
“Our administration is committed to working with Israel and our common allies in the region towards greater security and stability. That includes working toward a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. The United States will encourage a peace and really a great peace deal,” Trump said during a joint press conference with Netanyahu at the White House.
“It might be a bigger and better deal than people in this room even understand. That’s a possibility,” said Trump, who also railed at what he called the unfair treatment of ex-national security adviser Mike Flynn and again boasted about the size of his Electoral College victory.
Netanyahu praised Trump but said the Palestinians would have to agree to his longstanding demands that they recognize Israel’s right to exist and stop teaching hatred of Jews in their schools and honoring terrorists who kill Israelis.
“There is no greater supporter of the Jewish people and the Jewish state than President Donald Trump,” the prime minister said.
“Under your leadership, I believe we can reverse the rising tide of radical Islam, and in this great task, as in so many others, Israel stands with you, and I stand with you,” he said.
“Rolling back radical Islam, we can seize an historic opportunity because for the first time in my lifetime and for the first time in the life of my country, Arab countries in the region do not see Israel as an enemy, but increasingly as an ally. I believe that under your leadership, this change in our region creates an unprecedented opportunity to strengthen security and advance peace.”
Both leaders decried the Iranian nuke deal, with Netanyahu charging that Iran’s goal wasn’t just to develop a nuclear bomb but an entire arsenal of nuclear weapons that could wipe out not openly Israel but the US.
Trump also said it would be up to the Israelis and the Palestinians to determine whether the deal should aim for a one- or two-state solution — upending decades of US policy.
In response to a question, the president also vowed to combat a reported rise in anti-Semitism in the US following his America-first campaign.
“I think one of the reasons I won the election is we have a very, very divided nation. very divided. Hopefully i’ll be able to do something about that, “ he said.
“As far as people, Jewish people, so many friends, a daughter who happens to be here right now. A son-in-law. And three beautiful grandchildren. I think that you are going to see a lot
different United States of America over the next three, four, or eight years. You’re going to see a lot of love. you’re going to see a lot of love. okay?”
In response to a question about moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, Trump said that was still under consideration.
The two leaders planned a working lunch after the news conference, and the prime minister was also expected to meet with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Meanwhile, CIA chief Mike Pompeo secretly held talks in the West Bank with Mahmoud Abbas, in what was the first high-level meeting between the Palestinian leader and an administration official.
Two senior Palestinian officials said the meeting took place Tuesday at Abbas’ headquarters in Ramallah.
Trump said during his campaign that he’d love the challenge of negotiating a Mideast agreement.
He appointed his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, 36, to lead the effort.
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