Netanyahu tells ministers not to talk to Trump’s people

Cabinet Secretary Tzachi Braverman has sent a letter to ministers instructing them not to make any contact with the nascent Trump administration, the Walla news website reports.

The letter instructs ministers to run any contact through the Prime Minister’s Office or the Israeli Embassy in Washington.

A copy of the letter is tweeted by reporter Tal Shalev.

Netanyahu orders ministers not to make any contact w @realDonaldTrump administration without coordination w PMO or @AmbDermer https://t.co/rwlxJTWolP

— Tal Shalev (@talshalev1) November 21, 2016

Earlier this week, the Breitbart website published a letter written by Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel to Steve Bannon, who is Trump’s chief strategist, thanking him for his support of Israel.

Bannon has been roundly condemned by many Israeli and Jewish groups for his alleged support of the white nationalist alt-right movement.

On Sunday night, Bannon was scheduled to appear at a New York gala hosted by the Zionist Organization of America, where Education Minister Naftali Bennett gave a speech. However, Bannon did not show up at the event.

Last week, Netanyahu instructed his government not to speak publicly about the election, though several ministers have praised Trump in the media for his supposed support for Israeli activity in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, as well as his promise to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem.