Palestinians, Israel police clash at Jerusalem Old City gate

In 2017, President Trump essentially told the gathered leaders that he is aware of the problem in Islam, but he’s not going to get into a debate over why and how it happened.

“Thank you President Trump for your steadfast friendship to the Jewish people and the Jewish state!” said a beaming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The new page in the chapter on American influence in the Middle East was deeply appreciated, in particular, by the President of Israel, President Rivlin. Since 1967, the worldwide community – including the USA – has refused to officially recognize eastern Jerusalem and its Jewish holy sites as part of Israel.

Meanwhile, ahead of Trump’s meeting with Netanyahu in Jerusalem Monday, a live-streamed White House schedule stated Trump would deliver remarks in “Jerusalem, Israel“, apparently recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the holy city despite Trump himself never affirming a change in USA policy. The objective of Trump’s trip, the official said, was “to do a lot of listening, build very strong relationships with all the different people, not just the parties involved. and try to create a lot of momentum and optimism around the prospect for peace“. “From the depths of the suffering, the Jewish people have built a mighty nation, and the Star of David waves proudly above this cherished land”. Will he go beyond merely meeting Israeli and Saudi demands for positive public images and the exchange of kind words?

It’s a visit that I think has echoed down the ages because the late Abraham Lincoln is reported to have said that there was no city on Earth that he so much desired to see as Jerusalem.

Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu at the Israel Museum.

In announcing peace between Israel and the Palestinians as a key priority for his administration, Mr. Trump gestured publicly to his senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who himself has no experience in foreign policy or governance, saying “If you can’t make peace in the Middle East, no one can”.

Pizzaballa said it was hard to predict what will happen with the meeting between the pope and president.

President Trump’s visit to Israel May 22-23 included a stop at the Western Wall, the only portion still standing of the Jewish Temple depicted in scripture. He seems interested in solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and creating peace, as he told both Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, although no process is yet apparent.

Finally, there is the assumption of Trump’s commitment to the security of the Jewish state.

During my travels, I have seen many hopeful signs that lead me to believe that we can truly achieve a more peaceful future for this region and for people of all faiths and all beliefs and frankly all over the world. “In my opinion it was a general [i.e., ordinary] visit for the American president”, she said. “And in the end, it’s nothing new“.

On the relationship between the Arab states and Israel, Trump offered no recipe as to how they can reach a comprehensive peace agreement. The Old City was captured by Israel in a 1967 military conflict with Jordan and remains under Israeli control.

“Jerusalem should never have been a bargaining chip to bring Palestinians to the negotiation table”, Franks said at the press conference according to prepared remarks provided by his office. “These statements are nothing but bubbles that will soon vanish. There is a price that must be paid by those who violate the most basic values that make us human”. The Saudis, the newspaper says, helped block a Trump administration proposal to impose sanctions against a Saudi branch of ISIS: “The plan to add the Islamic State’s Saudi affiliate to a U.N. list of terrorist groups was quietly killed two weeks ago in a bureaucratic maneuver at the U.N. Security Council, records show“.