Netanyahu: Trump Administration Did Not Give Israel a Blank Diplomatic Check

According to the Israeli Prime Minister, his meetings last week during the U.S. President's visit to Israel were 'very good,' but the Donald Trump administration did not provide Israel with a 'blank diplomatic check.' Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday, June 8, at a meeting of the ruling Likud party that his government cannot pursue any course of action it wants regarding the Palestinians because it has not received a 'blank diplomatic check' from the U.S. Israeli media reported that Mr. Netanyahu made these comments in response to pressures from right-wing parties allied with his government. The 'Jewish Home' party, led by Education Minister Naftali Bennett, criticized Netanyahu for not being a strong advocate for Israeli settlements during last week's negotiations with Donald Trump. The 'Jewish Home' party has recently more explicitly opposed the establishment of a state for Palestinians and has called for the expansion of construction in the occupied Palestinian territories and the annexation of these settlements to Israel. According to Haaretz, Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday, June 8, that Donald Trump showed 'serious will' to advance peace with the Palestinians during last week's negotiations in Israel. The Israeli Prime Minister also added that President Trump assured him that Mahmoud Abbas, the head of the Palestinian Authority, wants peace and that this will should be tested. According to Netanyahu, 'In light of President Trump's statements, Israel must also act responsibly, especially at this time.' The Israeli Prime Minister added, 'In any peace agreement, Israel must still have the final say regarding security measures related to the West Bank.' Israel has built dozens of cities and settlements in the occupied territories over fifty years of control over the West Bank, housing about 450,000 Israelis. Donald Trump visited Israel last week and met with the Prime Minister with the aim of reviving the stalled peace process, and also met with Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem. Donald Trump and Mahmoud Abbas confirmed efforts to renew the political process at a joint press conference on Tuesday, June 2. Meanwhile, according to Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post, Ahmad Majdalani and Nabil Shaath, two senior Palestinian officials, denied reports from Israeli media regarding Trump's harsh and reprimanding tone during his recent meeting with Mahmoud Abbas. Ahmad Majdalani stated in an interview with the Jerusalem Post that 'the fruitful discussions last week were based on mutual respect.' Israeli media claimed that Mr. Trump told Mahmoud Abbas in the meeting on Tuesday, June 2, 'You talk about peace, but you give rights to the families of Palestinian terrorists.' Some American officials also claimed during the meeting that Donald Trump told Mahmoud Abbas, 'You deceived me during last month's meeting at the White House; you talked about peace, but the Israelis showed me documents regarding your personal involvement in incitement.' Mr. Abbas sent a message to the Saturday night demonstration of thousands of peace-seeking Israelis in Tel Aviv, stating that if the Netanyahu government shows seriousness, peace negotiations can be resumed. The last round of real peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians took place in the fall of 2008. Recent reports indicated that Mahmoud Abbas expressed readiness to resume negotiations from the same point where they were halted in 2008.