Netanyahu Defends Trump's Order for Wall Construction at the Mexico Border

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order to build a barrier at the southern U.S. border with Mexico. According to Israeli media, Netanyahu tweeted on Saturday evening, February 9, that Trump's actions are 'correct.' The Israeli Prime Minister's support for the order issued on Thursday, February 7, comes amidst criticism from Mexico and many world leaders. Netanyahu compared the order to the wall he ordered to be built in southern Israel along the Gaza Strip. When Trump spoke about building a wall with Mexico during his election campaign, Israeli media reported that a major security company in Israel, which won the bid to construct the barrier at Israel's southern border, had contacted Trump's campaign. This Israeli company made the necessary contacts in preparation for a time when Trump would win the presidential election. In addition to the barrier along its southern border with Gaza, Israel has also constructed extensive walls in the West Bank since the suicide bombings of the Second Intifada from 2002 to 2005 to prevent Palestinians from entering its territory with the intent of carrying out attacks or harming its citizens. At that time, Colin Powell, Secretary of State under George Bush, criticized Israel for building a security fence around Palestinian territories. Trump has stated that the wall is necessary to combat incursions into U.S. territory by illegal immigrants and 'criminals.' The President of Mexico expressed regret over the wall construction order, stating that Mexico extends its hand of friendship to the people of the United States and hopes to reach an agreement with the U.S. government that benefits the people of Mexico. Netanyahu's support for Trump's wall construction comes as the U.S. President mentioned in an interview with Fox News on Friday, February 8, that it is 'too early to talk' about one of his key promises regarding the relocation of the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Sean Spicer, the new White House spokesperson, stated in his first press conference during Trump's first week in office that the issue of moving the embassy to Jerusalem is still in a very preliminary stage. The U.S. embassy has been located in Tel Aviv for the past 69 years. During his election campaign, Trump criticized previous U.S. administrations for not moving the embassy to Jerusalem. A U.S. congressional resolution from 1995, during Bill Clinton's presidency, called for the relocation of the embassy to Jerusalem. However, based on a provision in this resolution, Clinton, George Bush, and then Barack Obama each suspended the embassy move every six months. Palestinian officials stated that letters written by Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, requesting Trump to refrain from moving the embassy to Jerusalem, went 'unanswered.' Saeb Erekat, a senior aide to Mahmoud Abbas, recently stated that 'moving the embassy to Jerusalem will provoke reactions from Muslims in the region and the world.' Meanwhile, many Israeli politicians and officials have recently told the media that they understand that moving the embassy to Jerusalem cannot be easily implemented. Netanyahu has been invited to meet with Trump at the White House in the coming days.