Ann Gearan reports in the Washington Post: “The Trump administration is shaping its policy toward Israel and a potential peace settlement with the Palestinians in ways that may seem surprising for a president who had appeared to offer the government in Jerusalem a blank check on the expansion of settlements in the West Bank and other issues.”
Gearan reports: “The settlement policy — more lenient toward Israel than the Obama administration’s, but not as lenient as sought by many of Israel’s strongest backers — is expected to be formalized when Netanyahu visits President Trump at the White House on Feb. 15.”
According to the article, the Trump move suggests that there may be “more continuity with past policy than many foreign policy analysts had expected, given Trump’s fierce condemnation of the Obama administration for being ‘unfair’ to Israel, and the strong views of close advisers shaping his Israel policy.” Read full article.
in JTA Ron Kampeas asks: “Is Trump reversing course on settlements and Iran?“
“Is the Iran nuclear deal, reviled by the Netanyahu government, on its last legs? Or is it getting a new lease on life?”
“Was the settlements announcement a back-to-Obama moment, auguring renewed U.S.-Israel tensions? Was it a return to Bush — W, that is — setting the stage for a compromise and anticipating resolution of an issue that has dogged U.S.-Israel relations for decades?”
“Let’s have a look at what President Donald Trump said and what was actually done…” Read full article
