Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leaves a meeting with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at Trump Tower in NY on Sunday.
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As reported earlier on JOL, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sat down today (Sunday) with Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump.
The topics of military assistance, security and regional stability were addressed, it said in a statement and added that the U.S. under a Trump administration will accept the long-standing Congressional mandate to recognise Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel.
Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu meeting in Trump Tower in New York, Sept. 25, 2016.
Trump’s proposal to build a wall on the USA border with Mexico as way to confront illegal immigration has become a cornerstone of his campaign, although the statement did not say whether he drew direct parallels with Israel’s border fence, which is meant to combat terrorism.
Netanyahu “thanked Mr. Trump for his friendship and support for Israel”, according to the prime minister’s office.
Daughter Ivanka Trump’s husband Jared Kushner, along with Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer, were also at the meeting.
While Israel calls Jerusalem its capital, few other countries accept that, including the United States.
The Trump statement said he promised Netanyahu that the United States would provide Israel with “extraordinary strategic, technological and military cooperation” if he is elected.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Donald Trump for almost 90 minutes at Trump Tower on Sunday morning.
During the meeting, Trump’s campaign said he expressed support for moving the capital of Israel to Jerusalem, a position held by many pro-Israel, conservative Republicans. As a result, the U.S. and most other countries maintain embassies instead in Tel Aviv, although the U.S. Congress has periodically tried to move it.
“Mr. Trump agreed that the military assistance provided to Israel and missile defense cooperation with Israel are an excellent investment for America”, the statement said.
Netanyahu has kept a low profile during this election cycle.
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Netanyahu was seen as taking sides in 2012, as he warmly received Republican nominee Mitt Romney – who he had worked with decades before – while maintaining a chilly relationship with President Obama, who has always been critical of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which Netanyahu defends. Netanyahu, who in 2012 acted in a way that was perceived as him interfering on behalf of nominee Mitt Romney and against the incumbent president, Barack Obama, is interested in avoiding giving even the slightest impression of interference.
