Trump arrives in Israel looking for a Mideast peace deal
President Trump arrived in Israel from Saudi Arabia on Monday, for a 36-hour visit that includes a meeting in the West Bank city of Bethlehem with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. Trump will also meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and has scheduled a visit to the Western Wall in East Jerusalem and a 15-minute tour of Yad Vashem, the official Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, followed by a speech at the Israel Museum.
The main focus of Trump's visit, however, is a push to restart stalled peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. When he hosted Abbas at the White House, Trump said Mideast peace is "something that I think is, frankly, maybe not as difficult as people have thought over the years," and in an interview with the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom published Sunday, Trump said, "I think we have a very, very good chance of making a deal." Aides are trying to tamp down expectations.
Trump's visit is also complicated by officially unconfirmed revelations that Trump shared highly classified intelligence from Israel with Russian diplomats, potentially putting it into the hands of Iran, Russia's ally and Israel's arch-enemy. At a meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu had to order his cabinet ministers to greet Trump at the airport, CNN and Israel's Haaretz report; the officials were reportedly unenthusiastic about traveling to the airport when Trump would have time to shake hands only with Netanyahu and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. Right-wing Israeli politicians are disappointed that Trump has moderated his position on Israeli settlements and the status of Jerusalem, and Palestinians are planning protests to highlight a hunger strike by Palestinian prisoners in Israel. After Israel, Trump heads to Rome to meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
'Sports executives ushered a fox into the henhouse'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Disney and DeSantis reach detente
Speed Read The Florida governor and Disney settle a yearslong litigation over control of the tourism district
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - March 28, 2024
Cartoons Thursday's cartoons - a House divided, gambling in sport, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Israel concedes it may not be able to destroy Hamas
Speed Read Despite five months of war in Gaza, Israeli intelligence officials admit the militant group eludes them
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump gets $289M break, first criminal trial date
Speed Read The former president's fraud bond has been reduced to $175 million from $464 million
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US-Israel rift widens after UN cease-fire resolution
Speed Read The U.S. declined to veto a U.N. resolution calling for a two-week "immediate cease-fire" in Gaza
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New Jersey first lady exits race to replace Menendez
Speed Read Tammy Murphy dropping out paves the way for Rep. Andy Kim to become the state's next senator
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Russia blames Ukraine for deadly ISIS Moscow attack
Speed Read Putin has ignored the Islamic State's claim of responsibility for the concert hall shooting
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump-RNC pact puts Trump legal bills ahead of GOP
Speed Read The former president has struck a deal with the Republican National Committee to put donations toward his legal bills
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Vietnam president resigns amid scandal
Speed Read Vietnam loses its second president in two years as Vo Van Thuong steps down
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published