Liberman: As a Result of Trump's Visit, We Are Closer to Agreement with Palestinians Than Ever

Avigdor Liberman, Israel's Defense Minister, stated that his country is 'closer than ever to an agreement with the Palestinians,' attributing this to U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to the region last month. The Jerusalem Post reported on Friday, June 9, quoting Liberman, that with Trump's arrival on the scene, 'Arab countries have also realized that Israel is not a problem for them but a solution.' The Israeli Defense Minister also added that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is 'seriously' doing everything he can for peace. Netanyahu recently stated that the normalization of relations between Arab countries and Israel would aid the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, during two meetings with Trump, one at the White House and the other in the West Bank, expressed his welcome for U.S. mediation and believes that achieving peace is possible. Recent reports have indicated that Abbas is ready to resume talks with the Israeli government from the point where they were suspended in the fall of 2008 during his negotiations with former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. However, Palestinians view the continued Israeli construction in Jerusalem and the West Bank as a significant obstacle to renewing peace talks. The 'Peace Now' movement, an Israeli civil organization opposing settlements, reported on June 9 that Netanyahu's government has resumed construction of about 3,200 new homes in the West Bank and has simultaneously put 1,500 more homes for Israelis up for bidding in recent days. The Israeli Housing Minister had announced shortly before Trump's visit to the region that he would prioritize the construction of tens of thousands of new units. The announcement of new Israeli constructions coincided with the visit of Nikki Haley, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, to Israel. According to Israeli media, Haley met with Netanyahu on Thursday, June 8, and was praised for the U.S. government's firmness in supporting Israel at the UN. On Thursday, Haley visited the southern border of Israel with Gaza, accompanied by Danny Danon, Israel's UN Ambassador, and General Aviv Kochavi, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, to inspect a tunnel. Israel claimed during the 2014 military operation that it had destroyed dozens of Hamas tunnels built for terrorist activities near the border with Israel but had preserved some for visits by foreign officials. During her visit to Israel, Haley reiterated that the UN, especially its Human Rights Council, should refrain from repeatedly condemning Israel. Before arriving in Israel, she threatened that the U.S. might halt tens of millions of dollars in payments to the UN due to this 'systematic anti-Israel approach.' Since her appointment as the U.S. representative to the UN, Haley has criticized the organization for its 'anti-Israel' stance. The Jerusalem Post reported that on June 9, during a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, Haley stated, 'America must always clearly take one side in any issue.' Nevertheless, during this trip, Haley is also set to meet with officials from the Palestinian Authority. In her three-day visit to Israel, she has also stated that she will work to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights at the UN. This visit coincides with the 50th anniversary of Israel's control over the Golan Heights, which was taken from Syria in the 1967 war.