Media: «Trump asked Netanyahu to change policy on the West Bank»
Donald Trump and his top advisers asked Benjamin Netanyahu to change West Bank policies during their meeting on Monday. He brings it back Axios citing a U.S. official and another source, both with direct knowledge of the situation. Second
The American president and his team reportedly expressed concern about the situation and asked the Israeli prime minister to avoid provocative actions and to “calm things”.
Monday was reportedly the first time in his second term that Trump and his team held lengthy discussions with Netanyahu about West Bank policy. The White House believes that a violent escalation in those territories would undermine efforts to implement the Gaza peace agreement and prevent the expansion of the Abraham Accords before the end of Trump’s term.
The sources said the topic came up both during the preparatory meeting Netanyahu had Monday morning with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, and during Trump’s meeting with Netanyahu in the afternoon. The president and his team raised the issue of settler violence against Palestinian civilians,
the PA’s financial instability and Israeli settlement expansion, the sources said.
The US message has been that changing course in the West Bank is critical to repairing Israel’s relations with European countries and hopefully expanding the Abraham Accords. “Netanyahu has spoken out strongly against settler violence and said he will take further action,” the informed source said.
Yesterday, Trump declared that he and Netanyahu “do not agree 100% on the West Bank” but “we will come to a solution” and the Israeli prime minister “will do the right thing”.
