“Today I depart for Washington to stand by the American president, who brings forward a plan which I believe advances our most vital interests,” Netanyahu said.
By World Israel News Staff
With the U.S. Mideast peace plan expected to be released this week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed reporters before boarding his plane on Sunday.
“Five years ago I departed for the Congress in Washington, forced to stand up against a plan brought by the American president, because I believed that that plan would endanger Israel’s most vital interests, it’s very existence,” Netanyahu said.
“Today I depart for Washington to stand by the American president, who brings forward a plan which I believe advances our most vital interests.”
“For the past three years, I spoke countless times with President Trump, a huge friend of Israel, and his staff, about these vital interests, about our security, about our justice, and I am going to meet with him tomorrow. On Tuesday, together with him, we will make history,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Netanyahu told his cabinet that “such an opportunity occurs once in history and we cannot miss it,” and he is “full of hope that we will be able to make history.”
“We are in the midst of very dramatic diplomatic events, but the peak is yet before us. I will soon leave for Washington where I will meet with my friend, U.S. President Donald Trump, who will present his ‘plan of the century,” Netanyahu said.
“For three years, I have spoken with President Trump and his staff about our security and national needs – many dozens of conversations, hundreds of hours. In all these talks, I have found an attentive ear in the White House to the State of Israel’s vital needs,” he said.
Blue and White leader Benny Gantz has already departed to Washington and will meet Trump on Monday without Netanyahu and fly back immediately afterward.
Gantz was originally supposed to meet Trump together with Netanyahu. However, Gantz’s inner circle convinced him that he might be upstaged by the prime minister, due to the latter’s close relationship with Trump.