Netanyahu assures Trump team political ‘event’ won’t affect ties

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells Trump’s top Mideast advisers Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt that US-Israel ties will not be affected by yesterday’s political “event” that saw the premier dissolve the Knesset and call a second election after failing to form a coalition.

“Even though we had a little event last night – that’s not going to stop us. We’re going to continue working together. We had a great, productive meeting which reaffirms that the alliance… has never been stronger,” Netanyahu says according to a recording released by the US embassy.

“I have to say that I am tremendously encouraged by everything that I hear about how the United States, under President Trump, is working to bring allies together in this region against common challenges, but also to seize common opportunities.

ראש הממשלה בנימין נתניהו נפגש היום עם יועצו הבכיר של נשיא ארה"ב ג'ארד קושנר ועם השליח האמריקני למזרח התיכון ג'ייסון גרינבלט, במעון ראש הממשלה בירושלים.

בפגישה השתתפו גם נציג הממשל האמריקני לענייני איראן בריאן הוק, ושגריר ישראל בארה"ב רון דרמר. pic.twitter.com/WOPRyCAZsq

— ראש ממשלת ישראל (@IsraeliPM_heb) May 30, 2019

Kushner and Greenblatt arrived in Israel last night on a trip to lay the groundwork for the economic section of the administration’s peace plan, hours before the Knesset voted to dissolve and hold new elections in September.

The Trump administration purposefully set its peace plan launch for after coalition negotiations, when Israel would have a functioning government, and it isn’t clear if the date will change now that the country is again going to the polls.