Israel's Netanyahu says will meet Trump in New York next week

[webfact]

Israel's Netanyahu says will meet Trump in New York next week

By Ori Lewis

 

FILE PHOTO - U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after Trump's address at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem May 23, 2017. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

 

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he would meet U.S. President Donald Trump later this month during a visit to New York, where he will address the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 26.

 

Netanyahu spoke to reporters accompanying him on a trip to Latin America before his plane left Tel Aviv for Argentina on Sunday night. He will also visit Colombia and Mexico before heading to New York.

 

In Washington, the White House did not initially respond to a request for a comment on a meeting between the two leaders.

 

"From Mexico I will go to New York to speak at the United Nations General Assembly and there I will meet my friend, President Donald Trump," Netanyahu said.

 

He added best wishes "to all our friends in the U.S. to overcome these difficult hours (during Hurricane Irma)."

 

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is also set to address at the U.N. General Assembly but there has been no word of a possible meeting between him and Netanyahu.

 

Netanyahu said he was the first incumbent Israeli prime minister to visit South America and termed his visit as "historic". The trip comes as Netanyahu is under investigation in two corruption cases.

 

One of those, known as Case 1000, involves gifts that the prime minister and his family may have received from businessmen, while Case 2000 deals with alleged efforts by him to secure better coverage from an Israeli newspaper publisher.

 

Netanyahu, who has been prime minister for 11 years over four terms, has denied any wrongdoing.

 

Netanyahu leads a relatively stable coalition government and presides over a buoyant economy. His conservative Likud party has rallied behind him in the absence of clear rivals for the leadership, rebuffing calls for his departure from the centre-left opposition.

 

On Friday, Netanyahu's wife, Sara, who is accompanying him on the trip was notified that Israel's attorney general is considering indicting her on suspicion of using state funds for personal dining and catering services totalling some $100,000.

 

A post on the prime minister's Facebook page published last week said the claims against her were "absurd and will be proven to be unfounded".

 

Sara Netanyahu also spoke before departure and thanked the "many, many, many thousands of Israeli citizens and people around the world who support and help me."

 

(Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton in Washington, Writing by Ori Lewis; Editing by Catherine Evans and Sandra Maler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-09-11

[pegman]

Seems indictments are on the way so will he be asking Trump for political asylum?

[Saladin]

Trump should distance himself from ALL fascist thugs including those from the Middle East, and not just American White Supremacists  and Nazis

[dogpatch55]

7 hours ago, Saladin said:

Trump should distance himself from ALL fascist thugs including those from the Middle East, and not just American White Supremacists  and Nazis

Hard to do, when he is one himself!!

[lungbing]

Trump to be given his orders in person.

[observer90210]

Hum....is he going to top up his safe haven Delaware bank account with some more tea-money received back home?

 

And perhaps remind the Donald that without the powerful support of the diaspora of the jews and their numerous US based associations, he would perhaps not have won the US election?

 

And for desert, some juicy arms deals for the US?

[Kiwiken]

Probably ask Donald to rubber stamp the total annexation of the West Bank.

[Morch]

Disregarding the "sage" comments above, a meeting would be pretty routine, but probably not very meaningful. As the OP says, the occasion is the annual UN General Assembly session, starting tomorrow. Trump's schedule is going to be pretty tight with such nothing meetings.

 

While there are several high profile corruption investigations involving either Netanyahu or members of his cabinet/staff/family - regretfully there aren't any indictments pertaining directly to Netanyahu himself. Even the lesser case (or rather, assortment of cases) concerning "his wife's" expenses was neutered by the AG and is just in its preliminary stages. How things will pan out, and whether any of these will effect Netanyahu, is yet to be seen.

 

Despite a whole lot of talk and even more interpretations, US policy remains pretty much unchanged with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. And considering some of the right wing nutters on Trump's staff were shown the door, there's little reason to expect anything dramatic as suggested by previous posters.

 

My advice to the usual suspects, save your energy. You're gonna have a field day after both Abbas and Netanyahu's speeches anyway - the former will whine, bring up the usual litany of woes, and just perhaps, supply some excitement with one diplomatic move or another. The latter will do one of his usual pompous addresses made up of Iran, biblical & historical references, Islamic terrorism, antisemitism and faux reaching out to the Palestinians. Nothing new as far as either goes, but will feed a couple of topics, probably.

[johnnyonesock]

 The Shug!

It is the combination of a handshake and a hug. This type of handshake generally shows love and affection. (it may occur after 8-9 beers)

[DeaconJohn]

Whatever happened to Israeli diplomats like Abba Eban, the champagne salesman?

This arrogant mensch Netanyahu rubs everybody the wrong way - even American Jews.

[Morch]

35 minutes ago, DeaconJohn said:

Whatever happened to Israeli diplomats like Abba Eban, the champagne salesman?

This arrogant mensch Netanyahu rubs everybody the wrong way - even American Jews.

 

As the OP relates something of a diplomatic achievement for Netanyahu, guess the above comment is more to do with frustration. The same Same question can be asked about US (and many other countries) diplomats. People with Eban's talents are not a dime a dozen. No idea what the "champagne salesman" comment was about, but "mensch" would actually mean the opposite of what you intended: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mensch

 

As for the generalizations regarding Netanyahu - even though we share a negative opinion of the  man, he obviously doesn't rub everybody the wrong way. Not even all American Jews.