Diplomacy

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Netanyahu Has “Positive” Meeting With Kushner, Other U.S. Envoys

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Wednesday with top envoys of the Trump administration, including the president’s son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner, who are in the Middle East to restart peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, Ynet reported.

The meeting lasted for over two hours and included Jason Greenblatt, the president’s special representative for international negotiations, and David Friedman, Washington’s ambassador to Israel. It was described as positive, with both sides affirming their commitment to peace.

In a statement issued after the meeting, the White House said, “The three United States officials discussed Israel’s priorities and potential next steps with Prime Minister Netanyahu, acknowledging the critical role Israel plays in the security of the region.” Both Israel and American officials “underscored that forging peace will take time and the importance of doing everything possible to create an environment conducive to peacemaking,” the statement added.

While President Donald Trump has spoken of wanting to secure a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, he has not yet specified what one would look like. “In addition to sounding out the steps that Israel and the Palestinians are willing to take,” the Post reported, “the U.S. is also exploring the degree to which the Saudis and other Sunni states are willing to become involved in the process, while making no concrete demands of them.”

Also on Wednesday, the White House released a readout of a call between Trump and newly-appointed Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, who discussed “efforts to achieve a lasting peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians.”

[Photo: IsraeliPM / YouTube ]