Israeli leaders congratulate Trump, look to strengthen US-Israel relationship

Israel’s leaders congratulated Donald Trump on his inauguration as US President and expressed excitement at working with him to strengthen the US-Israel relationship. 

Israel’s political leaders expressed their congratulations to Donald Trump who was inaugurated as President of the United States on Friday.

“Congrats to my friend President Trump,” tweeted Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday before the onset of the Jewish Sabbath in Israel. “Look fwd to working closely with you to make the alliance between Israel & USA stronger than ever.”

Israel’s Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer echoed Netanyahu’s remarks. “Congratulations President Trump! Israel looks forward to working with you to make the US-Israel alliance greater than ever.”

Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon shared his view in a statement that Trump’s presidency not only presented an opportunity to strengthen the US-Israel relationship but also to improve Israel’s standing in the United Nations.

“A true friend of Israel will enter the White House today,” Danon said. “After the shameful resolution that was adopted by the Security Council, Israel looks forward to strengthening our most important alliance and leading together towards a new era at the UN.”

“Thank you President Trump for your unequivocal support,” he continued. “We look forward to welcoming you to our capital of Jerusalem.”

On Saturday evening, Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin forwarded a letter to his new US counterpart in which he not only congratulated Trump but extended an invitation for him to visit Israel’s capital.

“On behalf of our people, I wish you and your administration much success, and take this opportunity to extend to you an invitation to visit the State of Israel and be our guest in Jerusalem,” wrote Rivlin.

Education Minister Naftali Bennett, chairman of the Jewish Home party, which advocates against a two-state solution with the Palestinian Authority, looked at Trump’s inauguration as an opportunity for Israel to choose between exercising sovereignty in Judea and Samaria and relinquishing territory for a Palestinian state, which would leave Israel with borders which its military establishment considers indefensible.

“For the first time in 50 years, the Israeli prime minister has the chance to make a decision – either sovereignty or Palestine,” Bennett tweeted on Saturday night.

By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News

DanonDermerDonald TrumpNetanyahuRivlinUS-Israel relations