Abbas congratulates President Trump, hopes to work together for peace

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday congratulated US President Donald Trump on his inauguration the previous day. Abbas said he looked forward to working with Trump for peace, security and stability, Israel Radio reported.

Top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat expressed hope that Trump would bring about the realization of the two-state solution, and added that he hoped the new president would not take any steps to jeopardize that outcome — a likely reference to the Trump administration’s stated intent to move the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

In the West Bank city of Bethlehem a number of Palestinians set fire Friday to a large photo of Trump, on which they had written “Stop Racism,” Israel Radio reported.

Also in Bethlehem, a large photo of Trump was plastered on a brick wall with the writing: “Move the embassy to your country, not to ours.”

On Thursday hundreds of Palestinians took part in Fatah-led rallies throughout the West Bank to protest the embassy relocation plans.

Israeli officials on Friday rushed to welcome the new president, with leaders vowing to make the alliance between Israel and the US “greater than ever” and heralding the start of a new era.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu preempted the inauguration to offer his congratulations to “President Trump,” apparently because the inauguration took place after the Sabbath had started in Israel.

That was echoed almost immediately after the inauguration by Israel’s ambassador to Washington Ron Dermer, who tweeted: “Congratulations President Trump! Israel looks forward to working with you to make the US-Israel alliance greater than ever.”

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said “A true friend of Israel will enter the White House today. Thank you President Trump for your unequivocal support, we look forward to welcoming you to our capital of Jerusalem.”

But while Israel’s leaders enthused, analysts suggested a more cautious approach, saying that despite all his pro-Israel pronouncements, Trump was still an unknown quantity for Israel.

“We have to ask if such an isolationist president will be good for Israel; will he have the patience for us,” said Channel 2’s lead anchor Yonit Levi after Trump again promised in his inaugural address to always put America’s interests first.

Channel 2 foreign editor Arad Nir highlighted Trump’s use of the term “America First” in his address, with its echoes of World War II era anti-Semitic connotations and his support from far-right groups.

And diplomatic correspondent Udi Segal highlighted several areas that could be of concern for Israel.

“This is good for Netanyahu, because of the changing of the guard, Obama is out and Trump is in, but there are concerns,” he said.

“Will his close ties with Putin end up leading to a permanent Iranian role in Syria?” Segal asked. Russia has very close ties with both Iran and Syria and Israel is adamant that arch-enemy Iran not establish a significant presence in its war-torn northern neighbor.

Members of the Israeli government have been vocally supportive of the plan to move the embassy, which Trump vowed to do while on the campaign trail and after his victory in November.

The politically charged move has, however, caused outrage among Palestinians who see part of Jerusalem as their future capital, and it was on Thursday indirectly condemned by foreign ministers from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

According to a report Friday in Haaretz newspaper, officials from the IDF, police and Shin Bet earlier this week presented Netanyahu and senior members of the cabinet — among them Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan — with scenarios that could result from relocating the embassy.

The prime minister instructed the security officials to prepare for such a possibility from the moment that the new president is sworn in.

Haaretz quoted two senior Israeli officials familiar with topics raised at the meeting as saying that Netanyahu and others present made it clear that Israel has no solid information on if and when Trump will issue a notice to transfer the embassy to Jerusalem.

Gavin Rabinowitz contributed to this report.