T. Belman. Trump still insists he will accept any deal that brings peace. So both he and Netanyahu are angling for peace rather than trying to enable Israel to get more land. Trump knows that the art of the deal requires that he shake people up so that they are unsure of their position and are more likely to compromise.
They are negotiating a deal between them as to what settlement construction will be permitted. But why does he not come out and affirm Israel’s right to build within the settlement boundaries just as Bush did. As Netanyahu keeps repeating “everyone knows we are going to keep them”. So I am disappointed. Trump has not changed one iota of Obama’s position on settlements. He has just used a softer tone.
In fact he has also been very cautious about changing Obama’s Foreign Policies, other than rhetoric about reigning in Iran. I believe that he means to reign in the anti-Israel UN.
Israeli Ambassador to Washington Ron Dermer revealed this week at a closed forum that President Trump’s request at his joint press conference with Prime Minister Netanyahu, that Israel restrict settlement construction, caught the latter by surprise, Makor Rishon reported Friday.
Dermer spoke at the annual conference of Israeli diplomats from all over the world at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, and stressed that despite the unexpected request, relations with the new Administration over the disputed territories would be much better than they have been before January 20.
Dermer has already begun his initial discussions with Trump’s senior advisor on international affairs Jason Greenblatt, to determine the scope of construction in Judea and Samaria. Apparently, according to MR, the gaps between the positions of the two sides are still very big.
Sources close to the Trump White House have told Makor Rishon that it can be expected that the president would continue the Obama and Bush 2 modus vivendi of turning a blind eye on Israeli construction in eastern Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria, with a few breaks for critical statements against it. But when Trump rebukes Israeli settlement building, he will probably do it less frequently and in a less harsh tone than his Democratic predecessor.
Dermer suggested that behind the American policy regarding the conflict is the Administration’s decision to convey to the PA that time is working against them. This approach requires that Ramallah realize that once Washington gives up on them as reliable partners for peace, it would give Israel a green light to rev up construction in Area C.
Netanyahu told the Knesset Likud faction meeting this week that the construction issue is more difficult and dangerous in the relationship with Trump than the political process – which could mean that the president would be angry should Israeli construction remove the threat of construction he wants to hold over the PA.
“We do not have a blank check,” the PM cautioned, adding that “as things looks now we will feel less pressure – but will not have a free hand” to build in Judea and Samaria.
They are not talking to each other!!!
Might want to wait until David Friedman is confirmed as US Ambassador before assuming anything.
The news today indicates the Senate Foreign Relations committee can now proceed to vote the nomination to the Senate floor for the actual confirmation vote.
At the rate Schumer is obstructing, my guess is NO confirmation vote for Friedman until AFTER Purim.
While the Arabs are now in court to try to stop demolition of illegal Arab settlement construction which continues apace and is often ignored compared with “illegal” Jewish settlement. Let’s hope the new Justices, Shaked installed, will make a difference. The Israeli government is behaving like the British during the Mandate. There is really no excuse for allowing this foreign interference whether by the EU, Trump or anybody.
In 1956, Eisenhower threatened to remove tax exempt status for contributions to Israel by American Jews. The U.S. was giving no aid at that time and was officially neutral, not an ally. That was a potent threat.
Today, Israel is independent. Gas exports to Jordan just began. The economy gets a stronger rating than the U.S. or E.U.
What’s the excuse?
“Trump made me do it.” Great excuse. Not my fault. “Trump made me do it.”
Every American President so far has given with one hand and taken back with the other. Even the much reviled Bush I, supposedly worse than his predecessors, was responsible for the repeal of the “Zionism is Racism” resolution in the U.N. as, on the other hand, the supposedly pro-Israel Reagan, authored Security Council Resolutions condemning Israel for taking out Syria and Iraq’s nuclear facilities while rail-roading Pollard for giving them the information that they were entitled to but which had been deliberately withheld and tried to push through a plan – behind PM Begin’s back — for Israel to relinquish all of the lands liberated in the Six Day War to the Arabs while symbolically equating the deaths of Waffen SS with the Shoah,quickly backtracking under fire, as Obama later did with Dresden. Even Obama could boast of throwing Israel a few crumbs in between kicks to the nuts, always relevant at election time.
Still relevant apparently:
“…1) America is committed to the Roger Plan and the world’s interpretation of security council Resolution 242, i.e. Israeli withdrawal from all (but insignificant) parts of the lands of 1967. This includes the Golan Heights, Gaza, the entire West bank and the entire Sinai as well as changing Jerusalem’s present Jewish sovereignty status…”
– “Israel, US and the Stinking Fish” – by Rabbi Meir Kahane. 1976.
http://www.dafka.org/news/index.php?pid=4&id=1683
I think what is going on is beyond that. Israel’s secular establishment is afraid of a Religious Zionist powerbase in Yesha and will sell out the country rather than allow it. And there are some Orthodox religious Jews who are allied with them because they have become contaminated by political correctness.