Netanyahu to meet with Trump envoy for second time on Thursday
Greenblatt makes unannounced trip to Jordan to meet King Abdullah, greets Palestinian security chiefs and recruits, visits refugee camp
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to meet with senior US official Jason Greenblatt for a second time on Thursday, the Prime Minister’s Office said Wednesday.
Greenblatt, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy for international negotiations, has been shuttling between Jerusalem, Ramallah and Jordan for the past few days, meeting with Netanyahu, President Reuven Rivlin and other Israeli officials, as well as with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, other Palestinian officials and Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
On Wednesday Greenblatt made an unannounced trip to Jordan to meet with the king in his palace in Amman. According to Jordan’s official Petra news agency, the king stressed the importance of the US in ending the peace process deadlock. He also hoped that the administration would be able to restart direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians on the basis of a two-state solution, which he claimed is the only possible way of ending the conflict.
Greenblatt praised the king and Jordan’s role, and avoided mentioning a two-state solution, in a tweet after the meeting.
“Honored to meet with HM King Abdullah II,” Greenblatt tweeted. “We agree on need for peace b/t Israelis and Palestinians. Jordan an important ally in this effort.”
https://twitter.com/jdgreenblatt45/status/842052599431991297
Earlier on Wednesday, Greenblatt met Palestinian youth leaders in the Jalazoun refugee camp near Ramallah “to understand their daily experiences,” as he wrote on his Twitter account. He also met with senior PA security officials and visited recruits at a Jericho training center to review “our joint work to build their capacity to fight terrorism and provide security that benefits both Palestinians and Israelis.”
The envoy tweeted that he “met with Palestinian security chiefs and saw recruits training at the Jericho training center.”
https://twitter.com/jdgreenblatt45/status/842020811137519617
Greenblatt also met with Rivlin on Wednesday, at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem.
According to a joint statement, Rivlin wished Greenblatt “success on his complex mission” and said his office stands “ready to assist on any issue as requested in order to promote advancement between Israel and the Palestinians.”
https://twitter.com/jdgreenblatt45/status/841961900850204672
Greenblatt, meanwhile, “thanked President Rivlin for their in-depth and wide-ranging discussion, and for sharing his views on how Israel and the Palestinians could live in peace and security. Both men reiterated that the security of Israel and its citizens is of fundamental importance,” the readout said.
The envoy also found time to meet with Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai. The two discussed “security challenges and ways to boost (the) Palestinian economy,” according to a Twitter post by Greenblatt.
https://twitter.com/jdgreenblatt45/status/841963169018966016
On Monday, Greenblatt held a five-hour meeting with Netanyahu in Jerusalem. The two discussed opportunities for advancing peace between Israel and its neighbors, and tried to formulate a coordinated approach for the two leaderships on the issue of settlements.
Greenblatt’s trip is part of an opening attempt to try and broker fresh peace talks after years of stagnation.
His visit marks the first major attempt by the new US administration to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, after two months that have seen officials dither on support for the two-state solution, the location of the US Embassy and opposition to building in settlements.
Another goal of Greenblatt’s visit is reportedly to formulate the Trump administration’s position on settlements, including what the US will accept in terms of where and how much Israel can build.
