Donald Trump: Israel Must Be 'Reasonable' in the Peace Process

Donald Trump, in an interview with an Israeli newspaper, urged the government of Israel to be 'reasonable' regarding the peace process. He stated that his administration does not view the construction of Jewish settlements in Palestinian territories as a positive action. According to Reuters, Trump's tone in the interview with 'Israel Today' differs from his previous strong support for Israel and was published just days before Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington (February 15). In the interview published on Friday, February 11, Trump said, 'I want Israel to be reasonable about peace. I want peace to happen. I want both sides to show reason, and I want good conditions to be created for establishing peace.' During his election campaign, Trump had repeatedly indicated that his presidency would favor the Israeli government and be tough on Palestinians. He had spoken about moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and appointed someone to the U.S. embassy in Israel who is a staunch supporter of settlement expansion and would not pressure the Israeli government to revive peace talks with Palestinians. Now, it seems that Trump has adopted a more measured stance. Although the U.S. government did not condemn the recent law passed by the Israeli parliament to legalize four thousand homes in occupied territories, the White House's policy in supporting the Israeli government has changed slightly compared to the past. In another part of the interview with 'Israel Today,' owned by Sheldon Adelson, a major U.S. casino owner, a staunch supporter of Netanyahu and a donor to the Republican Party, Trump said, '(Settlement expansion) does not help the peace process. Every time more land is taken for settlement, less land remains. I am not one of those who think that settlement expansion is good for peace.' The U.S. president stated that his administration is 'considering other options' regarding the issue of Jewish settlements. He added that he is still reviewing the issue of moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, an action that would undoubtedly provoke Arab anger. Trump said, 'The embassy issue is not a simple decision. This issue has been raised for many years, and no one has wanted to make a decision on it. I am seriously thinking about it, and we will see what happens.' In this context, the White House stated that the expansion of Israeli settlements is likely not beneficial for achieving peace. The Arab League described the new law passed by the Israeli parliament as a cover for land theft. Abbas stated that the new law regarding Israeli settlements is an attack on Palestinians.