Common Grounds
Trump: Palestinians Aren't Looking to Making Peace – but I'm Not Sure Israel Is Either
Source: Haaretz
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/trump-i-m-not-sure-israel-is-committed-to-peace-1.5807517
By Noa Landau
Published Feb 11, 2018
In interview with Sheldon Adelson-owned Israeli newspaper, U.S. president also says Israeli settlements complicate the task of making peace
U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C. on February 9, 2018.Bloomberg
U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview published Sunday that Israeli settlements in the West Bank complicate the task of making peace with the Palestinians.
Trump, who spoke in an interview with Israel Hayom newspaper, also said that he is not sure Israel and the Palestinians are looking to reaching a peace agreement.
According to Trump, "I think both sides will have to make hard compromises to reach a peace agreement."
Israel Hayom, which is owned by Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson, is considered close to and supportive of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Asked when the forestalled U.S. peace plan will be released, Trump answered, "We are going to see what goes on. Right now, I would say the Palestinians are not looking to make peace, they are not looking to make peace. And I am not necessarily sure that Israel is looking to make peace. So we are just going to have to see what happens."
On the topic of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Trump said they "always have complicated making peace" and added that "Israel has to be very careful with the settlements."
When asked if he noticed a change in Iran's conduct ever since he's declared them to be under warning, Trump replied he has "noticed very much a change" in their conduct, but would not attest as to what kind of change. "But there has definitely been a change," Trump concluded.
Excerpts of the interview were published Friday, in which Trump stated that his December 6 declaration recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital was the high point of his time in office.
According to Trump, "Obama was terrible" for Israel because he facilitated the nuclear deal with Iran.
LATEST OPEN LETTERS
- 13-02World Peace
- 05-12My scream to the world
- 16-11To Syria and Bashar al-Assad
- 16-11To Palestine
- 24-10Japan should withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN), WHO's controlling parent body, to protect the basic human rights and lives of its citizens.
- 09-08Open Letter to António Guterres: Will the UN Protect Our Rights and End Our Suffering?
- 09-06Urgent Appeal
- 07-05Protect Our Great Earth And Nation!
- 09-03Peace And Love!
- 06-02Non military defence of Ukraine
Latest Blog Articles
- 08-05Our Wednesday News Analysis | What do Palestinians in Gaza want?
- 07-05The genocide in Gaza will also be the end of Israel
- 07-05We’ve shown Gaza’s suffering for over 200 days. Don’t look away now
- 07-05What do Palestinians in Gaza want?
- 06-05The Evangelical Pope | A Future of Grace and Hope and Love
- 02-05Our Friday News Analysis | What the World Reads Now!
- 01-05Our Wednesday News Analysis | How an 'antisemitism hoax' drowned out the discovery of mass graves in Gaza
- 30-04The Rafah invasion will be catastrophic
- 30-04Craig Murray: Worse Than You Can Imagine
- 30-04How an 'antisemitism hoax' drowned out the discovery of mass graves in Gaza
- 29-04The Evangelical Pope | Strive to Be YOU!