Trump to Visit Al-Quds for Embassy Move in May

Local Editor

US President Donald Trump warmly welcomed "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the Oval Office on Monday, and said that he may come to the "Israeli" entity in May for the ceremony marking the formal transfer of the US Embassy to al-Quds [Jerusalem].

"I am looking at coming, and if I can, I will," Trump said after he and Netanyahu issued brief statements before their meeting, the fifth since Trump took office.

Regardless of whether he makes the trip in May, Trump said he will be coming back to the Holy Land because "‘Israel' is a very special country, special people, and I look forward to being there."

Answering a question shouted at him about the much-discussed US peace plan, Trump noted that his administration is "working very hard" on the plan, and that "I think we have a very good chance."

According to Trump, his recognition of al-Quds as the "Israeli" entity's so-called capital has taken that issue off the table, something that he said no one has been able to do in the last 25 years.

Trump added: "The Palestinians, I think, are wanting to come back to the table."

Asked what happens if they don't, he said, "If they don't, you won't have peace." That, he said, "is a possibility also, though I'm not saying that is going to happen."

In a briefing with reporters after their meeting - which went on an hour longer than scheduled - Netanyahu said that half their discussion dealt with Iran, and the rest of the time with the situation in Syria, Iraq and with the Palestinians. Netanyahu said that Trump was extremely well versed about the details of both the Iranian and Palestinian issues.

"In another 60 days he has to make a decision [regarding Iran]," Netanyahu said. "He was very interested in my assessments and recommendations."
The prime minister said that he told the president that the deal needed to be either "fully nixed, or fully fixed."

Netanyahu would not answer questions relating to the ongoing investigations.

Trump and his wife, Melania, welcomed Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, to the White House on the South Lawn. After warm greetings, the two walked to the Oval Office for brief statements.

Trump opened by saying that he and Netanyahu have been friends "for a long time," and that the relationship today between the entity and the US is probably the best it has ever been.

He said that the decision to recognize al-Quds as the entity's so called capital and move the embassy there was not only appreciated by "Israel", but in other parts of the world as well.

Netanyahu began by thanking Trump for the al-Quds move, and the "bold" decision to move the embassy for the "Israeli" entity's 70th anniversary.

Netanyahu also referred to Iran in his opening statement, saying that it is the greatest challenge to the US, "Israeli" entity and the region, and that this would be a focus of the meeting.

Iran, he said, "is practicing its aggression everywhere including on our border."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team