Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Ohad Zweigenberg/POOL)
The chairman of the Jewish Home party said that a “historic opportunity will be missed” if Netanyahu calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state during his upcoming meeting with Trump.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed in a meeting on Sunday with members of his Likud party that Israel might not have full free reign under the Trump administration.
“This administration is more convenient, but it doesn’t mean there won’t be restrictions,” Netanyahu insisted. “We need to continue to behave wisely with Trump and the American government.”
The prime minister’s remarks were an apparent response to members of the Jewish Home party, as well as members of his Likud party, who have called upon him to take advantage of the inauguration of Trump and reject a two-state solution with the Palestinian Authority.
Chairman of the Jewish Home party Naftali Bennett wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday evening that Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump on Wednesday will be the “test of his life.”
“If in the Trump-Netanyahu era, Israel decides to establish Palestine, there is no turning back,” Bennett wrote. “A historic opportunity will be missed.”
“If in their statements after the meeting they mention, for the first time in Trump’s term, their obligation to forming Palestine or two states in one way or another, we will all feel it in our flesh for years to come,” Bennett continued. “The earth will shake. International pressure, boycotts, reports against Israel, missiles, freezes, tying the hands of our soldiers in the fight against terrorism….all this will continue and intensify.”
During Sunday’s Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said that he will be purely motivated to act in the best interests of the State of Israel.
“I hear and understand that there is great excitement ahead of this meeting, with all different kinds of motivation behind it, but I have only one motivation: My supreme consideration is to be concerned, first of all, for the security of the State of Israel, to strengthen the steadfast alliance with the US, and to strengthen our other national interests which are fundamentally connected to the strength of ties with the US,” Netanyahu said.
“I have navigated Israeli-US relations in a prudent manner and I will continue to do so now.”
Netanyahu conveyed his desire to coalition members a few weeks ago, to assume the leadership role in directing Israel’s policies over Judea and Samaria as well as his belief in the necessity of coordinating with Trump instead of acting independently.
By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News
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