Trump To Netanyahu: Do You Actually Care About Peace?

The Axios news site made waves Sunday with a report that U.S. President Donald Trump bluntly asked Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during a telephone call last year whether or not he was truly interested in making peace with the Palestinians. The off-script question, which purportedly shocked American officials in the White House, was prompted by revelations that Netanyahu was planning to approve additional construction in Jewish communities in the West Bank—a move President Trump believed would unnecessarily anger the Palestinians at a time when he was trying to bring both sides back to the negotiating table. While the article did not address Netanyahu’s reaction to the direct query, it did elicit a response from the White House, with Press Secretary Sarah Sanders stressing that the two leaders have an “extremely close and candid relationship” and that President Trump “appreciates [Netanyahu’s] strong efforts to enhance the cause of peace in the face of numerous challenges.” She nevertheless qualified that this does not mean that the U.S. president “can’t be aggressive when it comes to negotiating what’s best for America.” Trump envoys Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt have spearheaded a year-long process of devising a comprehensive peace plan, however the effort hit a roadblock in December when the U.S. administration recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Thereafter, Palestinian officialdom imposed a boycott on American diplomats, whereas PA President Mahmoud Abbas called for President Trump’s house to be demolished and referred to U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman as a “son of a dog.” As such, it appears that for the time being the White House has chosen to shelve its peace proposal.