According to those familiar with the situation, President Trump briefed UN Security-General Antonio Guterres on his efforts at restarting the Israel-Palestinian peace process, saying that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is proven a difficult problem to overcome.
Trump conceded that both leaders are “problematic,” and that it’s difficult to convince either on the peace process, but that Netanyahu is “the bigger problem,” and a lot harder to bring on board with his efforts.
Trump was said to have expressed optimism about eventually reaching a deal anyhow. He believes Abbas’s age was an advantage because he “needs a legacy to leave behind,” and that he expects Netanyahu to eventually realize he’ll never have a more pro-Israel president to deal with.
Making peace is a tough issue for Netanyahu, however, as the far-right coalition government he leads has a number of members openly opposed to Palestinian statehood, and any progress on peace will necessarily harm him politically in the near-term.
I find Trump’s ignorance of all things presidential to be quite refreshing. Mr. Nincompoop goes to Washington. Deep State wept.
“Bernie Sanders: Cut U.S. Military Aid to Israel”
Yeah, it is always harder to work with the boss ….
Maybe he’ll work it out one day that Netanyahu doesn’t want a peace deal.
Netanyahu has power, and Abbas is powerless. So of course Netanyahu is harder to deal with. That is worse because so much of Netanyahu’s power is his power to make the US President powerless, going to Congress.
I couldn’t put it any better than you’ve just done, Mark, Bibi Satanyahoo’s the worst individual with whom to deal. Obama’s found that out the hard way, and Trump hasn’t done much better. With Satanyahoo, it’s either his way or the highway, and that’s why no foreign leader’s been able to deal with him .. Putin was the only one to stand up to him.
Netanyaho has no desire for peace. Or borders.