Trump and Israeli President Rivlin seek to join forces against terror

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin told Trump that Israel “will do everything in its power to assist you” in defeating terrorism in the region. 

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin conveyed Israel’s full intention to join President Donald Trump in his efforts to root out terrorism in the Middle East, during a joint press conference at his Jerusalem residence on Monday.

“You marked the defeating of ISIS as one of your top missions,” Rivlin noted. “This is a most important objective. Israel will do everything in its power in order to assist you in this mission.”

Trump also affirmed a need for both countries to join forces to combat terror groups like ISIS.

“This moment in history calls for us to strengthen our cooperation as both Israel and America face common threats from ISIS and other terrorist groups to countries like Iran that sponsor terrorism and fund and foment terrible violence, not only here, but all over the world,” he said.

Rivlin stressed a need “to be sure that Iran is out, out of our borders, out of Syria, out of Lebanon.”

Israel has previously voiced its concerns with Iran setting up shop near its Syrian border, especially since the start of the Syrian civil war.

Trump emphasized that Israel’s Arab neighbors share its concerns about Iran, which has brought them closer to a rapprochement with the Jewish state.

“What’s happened with Iran has brought many other parts of the Middle East toward Israel,” Trump said. “I’ve seen such a different feeling toward Israel from countries that, as you know, were not feeling so well about Israel not so long ago.”

“Most importantly the United States and Israel can declare with one voice that Iran must never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon and must cease its deadly funding, training, and equipping of terrorists and militias and it must cease immediately,” Trump added at the press conference.

By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News