Prime Minister Netanyahu Of Israel Visits The White House

President Trump at the Israel Museum. Jerusalem May 23, 2017 President Trump at the Israel Museum. Jerusalem May 23, 2017
 

President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mrs. Netanyahu in Washington today. The Prime Minister joined the President both for a private meeting and for a working lunch this afternoon.

 

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The following is a transcript of the President’s remarks this afternoon.

Oval Office

12:13 P.M. EST

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. It’s a great honor to have Prime Minister Netanyahu and Mrs. Netanyahu with us. They’ve been friends for a long time. We have, I would say, probably the best relationships right now with Israel that we ever had. I think we’re as close now as, maybe, ever before.

Jerusalem was a wonderful thing, and I know it was very much appreciated in a big part of the world, not just in Israel — in a very big part. So that was a decision that I had to make. Many Presidents were discussing whether or not to make that decision, and they promised it in their campaigns but they never were able to do what they should have done. So I was able to do it, and I think it’s something that’s very much appreciated in Israel, but far beyond Israel.

We are very close on trade deals. We are very, very close on military and terrorism and all of the things that we have to work together on.

So the relationship has never been better. And, Mr. Prime Minister, and Mrs. Netanyahu, it’s a great honor to have you.

MRS. NETANYAHU: Thank you.

PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: Thank you. Thank you. Mr. President, Donald, Melania: Sara and I want to thank you for your extraordinary friendship and hospitality. It’s always a pleasure to see you, both but this is the first time we meet in Washington — America’s capital — after you declared, Mr. President, Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. And this was a historic proclamation followed by your bold decision to move the embassy by our upcoming National Independence Day.

I want to tell you that the Jewish people have a long memory. So we remember the proclamation of the great King Cyrus the Great — Persian King. Twenty-five hundred years ago, he proclaimed that the Jewish exiles in Babylon can come back and rebuild our temple in Jerusalem. We remember, 100 years ago, Lord Balfour, who issued the Balfour Proclamation that recognized the rights of the Jewish people in our ancestral homeland.

We remember seven years ago, President Harry S. Truman was the first leader to recognize the Jewish state. And we remember how a few weeks ago, President Donald J. Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Mr. President, this will be remembered by our people throughout the ages. And as you just said, others talked about it. You did it. So I want to thank you on behalf of the people of Israel. And I also want to — I look forward to our discussions on both challenges and opportunities.

If I had to say what is our greatest challenge in the Middle East to both our countries, to our Arab neighbors, it’s encapsulated in one word: Iran. Iran has not given up its nuclear ambitions. It came out of this nuclear deal emboldened, enriched. It’s practicing aggression everywhere, including on our own borders. And I think we have to stop this country — the chants, “Death to Israel,” “Death to America.” Iran must be stopped. That is our common challenge.

The second is seeking, because of that challenge, to exploit the opportunity for peace because the Arabs have never been closer to Israel; Israel has never been closer to the Arabs. And we seek, also, to broaden that peace with the Palestinians.

So I look forward to those discussions. But I want to — I want to just iterate — reiterate what you just said. Mr. President, I’ve been here for nearly four decades with talking and seeking to build the American-Israel alliance. Under your leadership, it’s never been stronger, and the people of Israel see your position on Jerusalem, they see your position on Iran. They see your magnificent defense of Israel and the truth in the United Nations. And I, as a Prime Minister, see something that you, as President, see, but others can’t see — the extent of our intelligence and other cooperation in matters that are vital to the security of both our peoples.

And, Mr. President, I just want to say thank you for your leadership, and thank you for your tremendous friendship.

Thank you.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. Thank you. My honor.

Q Mr. President, when do you intend (inaudible) your peace plan?

Q Are you going to come to Jerusalem for the opening of the embassy?

PRESIDENT TRUMP: I may. I may. They have started, as you know, construction. And I may. We will be talking about that and other things.

Q So you might come in May to open the embassy?

PRESIDENT TRUMP: I may. I may. We’re looking at it. We’ll have it built very quickly. A lot of people wouldn’t be doing it quickly like that. But we’re going to have it built very quickly and very inexpensively.

They put an order in front of my desk last week for a billion dollars. I said, “A billion? What’s that for?” “We’re going to build an embassy.” I said, “We’re not going to spend a billion dollars.” And we’re actually doing it for about $250,000. So check that out. Now, it’s temporary, but it’ll be very nice. Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars versus a billion dollars. Is that good?

PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: Yeah. It’s good.

Q So can we say that you’re (inaudible) coming to Jerusalem?

PRESIDENT TRUMP: We’re looking at coming. If I can, I will. But I’ll be there again. Israel is very special to me. Special country. Special people. And I look forward to being there, and I’m very proud of that decision.

Q And what about your peace deal? When will you present your peace deal?

PRESIDENT TRUMP: We’re going to see. We’re working on it very hard, and we’d like to — look, it would be a great achievement, and even from a humanitarian standpoint, what better if we could make peace between Israel and the Palestinians? And I can tell you, we’re working very hard on doing that. And I think we have a very good chance.

And the biggest difficulty that anybody has had — you look over 25 years — nobody could get past, number one, Jerusalem. They couldn’t get past it. We’ve taken it off the table. So this gives us a real opportunity to peace. We’ll see how it works out. The Palestinians, I think, are wanting to come back to the table very badly.

Q Who said that?

Q What if they don’t come?

PRESIDENT TRUMP: If they don’t, you don’t have peace. You don’t have peace.

Q What’s your plan if they don’t come?

PRESIDENT TRUMP: If they don’t, you don’t have peace, and that’s a possibility also. I’m not saying it’s going to happen. Everybody said this is the hardest deal to make of any deal. Whenever you have a hard deal, like in business, you say, “Oh, this is almost as bad as Israel and the Palestinians.” You use it like as an example.

This is the hardest deal. This is years and years of opposition and, frankly, hatred, and a lot of things involved in this deal beyond the land. And I will tell you that if we could do — if we could do peace between Israel and the Palestinians, that would be a great thing for the world. It would be a great thing for this country and for everybody.

So we’re working very hard on it, and we have a shot at doing it. Thank you all very much. I appreciate it. Thank you.

Q Paul Ryan wants you to back down on trade. Paul Ryan says he’s worried about a trade war. Are you going to back down on the tariffs?

PRESIDENT TRUMP: No, we’re not backing down. Mexico is — we’ve had a very bad deal with Mexico, a very bad deal with Canada. It’s called NAFTA. Our factories have left our country. Our jobs have left our country. For many years NAFTA has been a disaster. We are renegotiating NAFTA, as I said I would. And if we don’t make a deal, I’ll terminate NAFTA.

But if I do make a deal which is fair to the workers and to the American people, that would be, I would imagine, one of the points that we’ll negotiate. It will be tariffs on steel for Canada and for Mexico.

So we’ll see what happens. But right now, 100 percent. But it could be a part of NAFTA. And I understand — I just got a call from the people who are right now in Mexico City negotiating NAFTA. Mexico and, really, Canada want to talk about it. But if they aren’t going to make a fair NAFTA deal, we’re just going to leave it this way.

People have to understand, our country, on trade, has been ripped off by virtually every country in the world, whether it’s friend or enemy — everybody. China, Russia. And take people that we think are wonderful — the European Union — we can’t do business in there. They don’t allow it. They have trade barriers that are worse than tariffs. They also have tariffs, by the way, but they have trade barriers far worse than tariffs. And if they want to do something, we’ll just tax their cars that they send in here like water.

So we may have friends, but remember this: We lost, over the last number of years, $800 billion a year. Not a half a million dollars, not 12 cents. We lost $800 billion a year on trade. Not going to happen. We got to get it back.

And, of course, the biggest problem — the biggest problem is China. We lost $500 billion. How previous Presidents allowed that to happen is disgraceful. But we’re going to take care of it.

Thank you all very much. Thank you.

Q Talking about a trade war?

PRESIDENT TRUMP: I don’t think you’ll have a trade war.

Q No trade war?

PRESIDENT TRUMP: I don’t think so. I don’t think you’re going to have trade war, no.

Q Prime Minister Netanyahu, would you like to comment about the latest news coming from Israel?

PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: I will later. Thank you.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you all. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you.

END

12:23 P.M. EST

Shared from Whitehouse.gov

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ABUTOM
ABUTOM
6 years ago

REMEMBER WHEN OBAMA THE COMMUNIST SENT A US TEAM TO INTERFERE WITH BEBE’S ELECTION. WHO PAID FOR THAT? SURELY NOT THE TAXPAYER WHO PAYS FOR COMUNIST FRONT ABORTIONS.

THE COMMUNIST OSCARS:
ACCEPTING FOR HANOI JANE JOHN KERRY FONDA IS THE WICKED WITCH OF THE NORTH HITLERY PUTIN THE BRIBE TAKER IRS FREE. HER REWARD IS THE COVETED JANE FONDA VIET CONG BRASS SPITOON. THE HOC TOOEY. MAKES YOU WANT ONE. THE AWARD FOR THE WALKING DEAD TURNED OUT TO BE THE DEMOCRAT COMMUNIST CONVENTION.

Jo Bowen
Jo Bowen
6 years ago
Reply to  ABUTOM

Yes. Fonda is a traitor and should have been arrested for her actions. I have NO respect for her and refuse to watch any movies or anything else she appears on

Becky
Becky
6 years ago
Reply to  Jo Bowen

I have not watched a movie with Jane Fonda in it since her act of Treason going to North Vietnam, having her picture taken straddling a Viet Cong tank, and betraying all our brave prisoners of war by turning in notes they gave her to the VC without reading them. Our POW’s were beaten & tortured because of that act.

Jeannine ball
Jeannine ball
6 years ago
Reply to  ABUTOM

Israel is the only friend America has in the middle east. They are grateful for our recognition of Jerusalem as their capitol. After all no other country ,would allow anyone else, person or country, to declare their capitol. President Trump is the only president to acknowledge their choice of their own capitol. They are surrounded by enemies, yet they are the ONLY democratic country in that area of the world. I am VERY proud of our president!

Herbert Millman
Herbert Millman
6 years ago
Reply to  Jeannine ball

Agree, Iseral stood alone for the last 8 years and was ignored by Obama was, is and remains a piece of @#$%

Confoundmeonce
Confoundmeonce
6 years ago

It is So ridiculous How B.Netty TRIED to Nail OUR President down..on ”A Couple OF Quite Aggravating Subjects”,,BUT Please NOTE..HE Got NOWhere..( Friends OR NOT..No one Likes TO Be Pressured !! B.Netty just Hasn`t Come to the Realization..THAT HE Can Mess UP His Best ? intentions With his P{ushy Ways. YES.HE HAS A FEW ‘countries Close TO the “”border of What he is calling ‘Israel”.. and, yes ! This IS Something HE is going to Have to Face ON HIS OWN>>With NO Input Of OUR Military. AFTER ALL..THE American People ARE DONE With Fighting his Battles FOR HIM>>AND FED UP with Putting out FIRES HE Started.

Joy D. Brower
Joy D. Brower
6 years ago
Reply to  Confoundmeonce

Too bad you’re in such a foul – and skewered! – mood re the State of Israel and the Israeli PM! And just glad that our POTUS doesn’t listen to fools like you!

terry
terry
6 years ago

I support all that Trumps administration is trying to do f0r the American people as well as rest of the world.
Change was and is needed to move forward instead of stagnate as we have been.

Gladys Randolph
Gladys Randolph
6 years ago

It is a real blessing to see America on friendly terms with Israel. Thank you President Trump. May God bless you and keep you in His care.
Appreciatively,

Dr Chester Wilk
Dr Chester Wilk
6 years ago

THREE MISSIONS IN MY BOOK
My first mission is to correct the outrageous abuse of our healthcare system in America. We are a nation of prescription drug addicts. We use enough medications to put every man, woman and child under the influence of these drugs for one month. The drug companies spend 50 million dollars a day promoting drugs, and then charge hundreds of dollars for prescriptions while the ingredients cost pennies to manufacture. This drives the cost of healthcare through the roof while the quality of healthcare goes down. Our healthcare is one of the most expensive in the world, yet it is ranked #37 for quality care, and the main problem is the unholy alliance between pharma and the MD’s who over-medicate and over-operate, killing 3,600 people every week while the general public is kept ignorant as to the seriousness of what is happening! This is because of the devil’s intervention and his influence on people. If pharma invested more money into research for better healthcare methods instead of promoting and programming people to take dangerous and inadequately proven drugs, we wouldn’t have the massive deaths we see happening today.
We need more holistic and drugless approaches, such as chiropractic adjustments, massage therapy, acupuncture, naturopathy, and other non-surgical and non-invasive treatments, instead of over-utilizing potentially hazardous drugs and surgery. President Trump recognizes this problem and announced a national opioid crisis. He is making my case and I am making his.
My second mission is to support President Trump’s agenda of running America like an intelligent and compassionate nation, by building a wall to keep the criminal element out and by using fair trade with other countries, or we’ll bankrupt and become slaves to our creditors. The Bible teaches that the borrower becomes a slave to the lender. Be forewarned!
It’s not about politics, but about our survival as a nation. You can love or hate him, but President Trump’s approach to saving America is our best salvation if we want to remain a free and sovereign nation! We must keep our jobs in America to be able to have a strong economy which is necessary and vital for a strong military. Otherwise our days are numbered. We can’t afford to reach “the point of no-return” where the interest to our national debt exceeds our gross national product. It will be fatal. Anyone who thinks China or Japan will not demand their money some day is naïve. They are at best fiercely competitive— and at worst— aggressive and controlling! Look at their past histories.
President Trump is sacrificing a life of leisure, pleasure, and golfing, and putting himself and his family at risk. It’s costing him millions of dollars to do what he is doing by taking on the world’s toughest job, working 19 hours a day, refusing any salary or lobbyist’s money, yet facing all kinds of stupid and irrational critics willing to destroy themselves and take our nation with them! This is total insanity! It has to be the devil’s influence on these misguided people to want to self-destruct. As for sanctuary cities, they are the end-product of the devil.
My third and most important mission is to prove beyond all reasonable doubt that there is a God in heaven and a devil in hell, and to save my family who are victims of the devil. I have been given absolute, irrefutable scientific evidence of a Higher Power. (The Science of Probability)This is NOT about blind faith, but about proof that will satisfy the most hard-nosed scientist. As for any skeptic or atheist, it will stun them from not being able to respond with any answer other than it being Divine Guidance! You can “checkmate” any atheist in a debate. God had me experience over 20 miraculous predictions with 100% accuracy and my nephew and I can back up what we say with polygraph tests. My ex-wife and daughters can also support (perhaps to their chagrin) their accuracy.
President Trump’s critics are trying to self-destruct and take America with them. This insanity is influenced by the devil. Every pastor will agree that there is a devil who can influence people to do and say stupid things if we allow him to do it! So then why are our pastors reluctant to speak out in the media and press as I am doing? Do your job, pastors! You are supposed to be the spiritual leaders of our nation and you are miserably failing your responsibility by allowing the misconception of the devil being a “symbol of evil” to go unchallenged.
There is good and evil in ALL of us. Satan influences and brings out the evil in us while God influences and brings out the GOOD in us. God is using Donald Trump to save America from bankruptcy so listen to him! God told him, “O.K. wise man. I made you into a multi- billionaire, now it’s payback time to save America!” His courageous and unselfish acts proves beyond all reasonable doubt that he’s on a mission to save America.
We are in a spiritual war and our battleground is the devil’s playground. If the book becomes a best-seller a portion of its royalties will go to the Salvation Army. I hope to speak with President Trump someday and bring out how the devil gets into healthcare, politics, churches, courts, and families. I still have one prediction, which will come to pass, but I have not made it public, but I told a number of people what it is so that they can back me up after it happens.
This book— other than the Bible— is one of the most important books of our time!

Steven C Swann
Steven C Swann
6 years ago

Thank you Mr. President for all of your service. It is truly refreshing to have a President who talks the talk and walks the walk. America is becoming great again. We have far to go, but the steps are in the right direction.

Beverlee Maschek
Beverlee Maschek
6 years ago

POTUS TRUMP is the greatest! MAGA!

Robert Conner
Robert Conner
6 years ago

In Genesis, chapter 12 beginning in verse 1 it has God d\saying to Abraham, “I will bless you, and I will curse you!” (referring to his son Isaac and grandson Jacob[Israel] and history bears this out! those countries that were kind to the Jews prospered and those that were mean to the Jews died!

iond
iond
6 years ago

Big taxes, nothing MADE IN USA , food stamps, marijuana, racism ,hate of Israel , encouraging moral degradation and illegal immigration , open borders,poisoning with lies ,keeping a deep poverty ,day by day ,step by step selling the country are enough for the survival of liberals , are the main sources of existence of the democrats . Wake up America ! Wake up ! The sellers of our country are not on the run …yet

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