Netanyahu denies Trump’s intention to recognize a Palestinian state, calling it “just a political game”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that rumors about a deterioration in his relationship with US President Donald Trump are inaccurate, claiming that the latter won’t recognize a Palestinian state.
Netanyahu said, during a closed session of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee: “I heard through the media that Trump and I are no longer on good terms, but Ambassador Mike Huckabee refuted that”.
He added, “We’re in regular contact, and Trump himself has stated that we see things from the same angle”.
Recently, the Israeli media reported a cooling of relations between Netanyahu and Trump, with Trump reportedly cutting off contact with the Israeli prime minister over suspicions that he was being manipulated.
On the other hand, Netanyahu downplayed reports that Trump intended to recognize a Palestinian state, describing them as merely a political stunt.
During the session before the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, he said, “I don’t think you will hear serious talk about establishing a Palestinian state… This is just a political game”.
On Saturday, Israeli media reported, citing Gulf diplomatic sources, that President Trump is preparing to announce official recognition of the Palestinian state during his upcoming tour of the Middle East, scheduled for next Tuesday and Friday.
According to reports, the announcement is likely to take place during a Saudi-US summit in Riyadh, where the tour will also include Qatar and the UAE.
