The White House on Thursday warned Israel that new or expanded settlements in the West Bank would be an impediment to peace, signaling that the Trump administration would seek some continuity with past presidents on U.S. Middle East policy.
The statement comes as Netanyahu announced plans for the construction of 5,500 new settlements this week.
The following is the statement from the White House Press Secretary:
“The American desire for peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians has remained unchanged for 50 years. While we don’t believe the existence of settlements is an impediment to peace, the construction of new settlements or the expansion of existing settlements beyond their current borders may not be helpful in achieving that goal. As the President has expressed many times, he hopes to achieve peace throughout the Middle East region. The Trump administration has not taken an official position on settlement activity and looks forward to continuing discussions, including with Prime Minister Netanyahu when he visits with President Trump later this month.”
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
29 Responses
This headline is misleading ….the President stated a fact that everyone on both sides agrees with on the face if it…He’s not selling out by stating that..
The media is looking to erode support for the President and this is just one more attempt.
“…5,500 new settlements…”
!!! That sounds good!!!
Mr. PM, care to give me one, just one?!?
Ein lunu al me lismoch elo al avinu
Why does PM Bibi feel the necessity to announce every building tender? Just do it
Anti semite in the white house
Marc Levin said that he has inside info that Jared Kushner had something to do with it. BTW, Ivanka is one of his top advisors and she’s always been a liberal, so who knows. Bibi is coming in soon and this may have been a shot across the bow.
I like the president but I’m not a hero worshipper, so it’s troubling how he treated the Aussie PM on the phone yesterday and this may be a sign to come with others ,particularly Bibi. Something’s up and it doesn’t feel too good.
Lev Melochim VeSorim BeYad H-Shem! Any decision that President Trump makes and whether he keeps all his promises depends on the Aibishter’s Will. Hopefully this will continue to be a Malchus Shel Chessed until Bias Moshiach Tzidkainu, Amain
Time to pick up and move to Israel!!
Kushner being in the equation might be very harmful. He will insist on being ” even handed “.
The real Trumpkopf cut a Trumpkopf wannabee down a few sizes and put him in his place. Bibi has spent the past few months sucking up to Trump, down to the level of copying his Tweeting style and mannerism. Remember how Trump got Chris Christie following him around like a lapdog and then cut the ground out from under him and made him look like a pathetic fool? Well he just did the same to Bibi….When Netanyahu shows up in D.C. next week, he will have to crawl up the driveway and beg to be allowed in like a stray cat. Trump (and Jared Kushner) are determined to impose their own “solution” to the long-standing Arab Israeli problem and pushing down on Bibi gives them leverage.
It seems that the only connection Jared and Rebetzin Ivanka have to Yiddishkeit is to host lavish Friday night meal and prepare fancy משלוח מנות! Nebach!
Sad start for Trump supporters. No embassy in Jerusalem, no settlement construction, no Jews in the Holocaust. Remind me again, who is David Duke?
It is well past time for all Jews still living in Chutz La’Aretz to buy apartments in Eretz Yisrael. The Jewish future is here.
Dear kushner we hate you
ZionGate,
That stuff with the Aussie PM was FAKE NEWS.
Unfortunately there’s a lot of that flying around which is why President Trump tweets.
The point is moot. Peace with the Arabs is impossible any time soon.
It used to be said that the Arabs never missed and opportunity to miss an opportunity. Now we have proof of just how close in make-up the Israelis are to the Arabs. President Trump, during his campaign to win the Presidency, trumpeted his solid commitment – and he has been quick to emphasize over and over again how he keeps his promises – to move the United States Embassy to Jerusalem. He expressed almost unconditional support for Israel lambasting the former Black House incumbent N Obama Esq. He won, quite possibly with the votes of many Jews in the key swing state of Florida. What would have been the smart thing for the Israelis to do? Sit down quietly with your mouth shut until after your Prime Minister has met personally with President Trump. After all the Trump-Netanyahu meeting was trumpeted as the first meeting of President Trum with a foreign leader. What did the Israelis do? Screamed out, we have won, we have won, our man is in the White House, we are untouchable, we can build whatever we want wherever we want. What did President Trump do? He taught the Jews a simple lesson. I am the King and I will decide what crumbs to throw you as you grovel down in front of me and my Jewish family. He left them out of the Holocaust narrative. He met first with the Jordanian King. He backtracked on his firm promise to move the Embassy to Jerusalem. He slapped Netanyahu across the face returning to the Obama days when settlements are not helpful to peace. Never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.
BS
How many days since this was announced did the Donald comment?
Two?
He usually comments right away
Additionally what is “may not”, I may not eat breakfast today either
What a breath of fresh air!
Gadolhadora,
I agree with you that we shouldn’t look up to any nations for our safety. Hashem is the one that protects us always no matter where in the world we are and no matter when. I also felt a little uneasy when some of the frum world starting idolizing Trump but im afraid your heros are just the opposite side of the political spectrum. The left and their progressive veiws are poison to are people. Im not sure that your views are any better. Politicaly speaking we just have to wait and see what he meant. Was he trying to calm the arab nations who where complaining about trump not doing anything in the un or was he trying to hint diplomatically to a warning to Israel? In the end of the day its all in G-d’s hands. All the political activism besides for darchei shalom is getting out of hand.
*our people
to me it looks like he issued a statement because he got pressure from someone to say SOMETHING. bibi is the one who should take it easy and stop announcing huge settlement plans as soon as trump takes office. although i think hes probably trying to shore up some local support since the amona disaster
Only liberal Jews like #5, 10, 12 would be pleased with such fakestream headlines when the White House clearly stated that existence of communities is NOT an impediment to peace.
#5 You were too “pc” or better yet too much of a coward to refer to the previous illegal president the wicked liar who tried everything in his power to destroy Israel, as anti-Semite, ha? For the record, President Trump is a TRUE OHEV YISROEL! If only one could say that about you!
And re #14, you can include your friends #10 and 12 but don’t include us – most chareidim and most Americans – in your ‘we’ hatred.
Now just imagine if every settlement gets about 1,000 units!!
Donald J Obama!
A) His announcement is much more mellow than I think any other presidents before
B) I am not sure why Israel needed to announce it will build 5,000 more settlement homes before Netanyahu and Pres Trump even met. Did they assume US Pres Trump is Rabbi Kahane?
wow you guys all have a one sided look on things…recently read this: http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21715622-israels-prime-minister-tries-placate-his-right-wingers-mr-netanyahu-mr-trump
it may sound like trump may being doing netanyahu a favor keeping his coalition intact. saying building new settlements is ok might be a bad thing for netanayu.
gotta look at both sides of the coin here
I believe President Trump’s statement is much more positive than Mr. Obama’s statements have been. He states unequivocally that past settlement construction is absolutely not an impediment to peace. I believe he is just warning Israel that they don’t have an automatic green light to start unlimited new settlement building, but need to take it slow and deliberate and think through how future actions will impact peace efforts.
I see this statement as very positive towards Israel.
Mark Levin,
I hope you’re right, I’ve heard today that it might be fake.
Everyone just take a chill pill. He’s saying this to pacify all the libs and the world at large. Guarantee you he tells Bibi behind closed doors to just do whatever he wants. Other than obama many other presidents said these types of things not really meaning it.