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Israeli PM Netanyahu spoke with US President-elect Trump about concerns over Iran and strengthening US-Israel ties. The talks also touched on expanding regional peace efforts.
Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: AP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had spoken three times with US President-elect Donald Trump over the past few days about the “Iranian threat” to Israeli security, his office said on Sunday.
“In the last few days, I have spoken three times with President-elect Donald Trump… Talks designed to further tighten the strong alliance between Israel and the US,” Netanyahu said, quoted in a statement issued by his office.
“We see eye to eye on the Iranian threat in every aspect,” he added during a weekly cabinet meeting, according to the statement.
Netanyahu also said he had talked to Trump about “great opportunities before Israel in the field of peace and its expansion”.
The United States is Israel’s top ally and military backer, and the election came at a critical time for the Middle East amid wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
Analysts believe Netanyahu had hoped for a Trump return to the White House, given the longstanding personal friendship between the two as well as the former President’s hawkishness on Israel’s arch-foe Iran, news agency AFP reported.
During his first term, Trump moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, recognised Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights and helped normalise ties between Israel and several Arab states under the so-called Abraham Accords.
In October this year, Trump, who was then the Republican presidential candidate, said he spoke with Netanyahu after the latter visited his Florida residence.
This was their first meeting since the end of Trump’s presidency.