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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 23 May 2017

Israel visit Christian tradition is where
Jesus was crucified and
the location of his tomb.
Wearing black skull cap,
Continued from front he became the first sitting
president to visit the West-
“I never mentioned the
word or the name Israel,” ern Wall in Jerusalem’s Old
City, the most holy site at
he told reporters. “So you
have another story wrong.” which Jews can pray.
Trump was joined by first
The moment was abrupt
interruption of an other- lady Melania Trump, his
son-in-law
Jared
Kush-
wise warm and smooth
welcome for Trump to the ner and daughter Ivanka
Trump. The family was
Holy Land. After years of
butting heads with Trump’s separated by gender. The
president and Kushner vis-
predecessor, Netanyahu
celebrated a new Ameri- ited one side, while the
first daughter and first lady
can president’s arrival as
a moment of hope in the visited a portion of the site
reserved for women. Trump
stalled peace talks be-
tween Israel and Palestin- approached alone and
placed his hand on the
ians. Trump, arriving from
Saudi Arabia, declared he stone. President Donald Trump visits the Western Wall, Monday, May 22, 2017, in Jerusalem.
The visit raised questions
saw the possibility of new Associated Press
alignment of Muslim na- about whether the U.S. concerns that his policies has taken a tougher line urging restraint though
would indicate the site is
tions and Israel against a
shared foe — Iran. Israeli territory. The U.S. has won’t be as beneficial to Is- on settlements than Israeli not calling for a full halt to
rael as once believed. He officials
had
never recognized Israeli
“There is a growing real- expected, construction.q
ization among your Arab sovereignty over parts of
the Old City seized in the
neighbors that they have
common cause with you in 1967 war.
The White House struggled
the threat posed by Iran,”
he said, at a welcome to answer the question.
Ambassador to the United
meeting with President
Rueven Rivlin. Nations Nikki Haley de-
clared the site part of Isra-
The White House has said
it doesn’t expect any sort el, while Secretary of State
Rex Tillerson on Monday
of breakthrough on the
peace process on this trip. dodged.
“The wall is part of Jerusa-
But Trump’s unconvention-
al approach to diplomacy lem,” he said, declaring
only an undeniable fact
has raised hopes that he
may be well positioned accepted by all sides.
Trump never commented.
to jumpstart talks bogged
down by entrenched inter- The president did step into
another fraught subject: his
ests and ancient enmity.
Welcoming Trump, Ne- recent disclosure of classi-
fied information to Russian
tanyahu said, “I also look
forward to working close- diplomats, seemingly vio-
lating an intelligence-shar-
ly with you to advance
peace in our region, be- ing agreement with Israel.
Netanyahu played it down,
cause you have noted so
succinctly that common saying that U.S.-Israeli in-
telligence cooperation is
dangers are turning former
enemies into partners.” “terrific” while attempting
to dismiss concerns that
“It won’t be simple,” Ne-
tanyahu said. “But for the the incident violated a
confidentiality agreement.
first time in many years
— and, Mr. President, for But it was another stark re-
minder for the president
the first time in my lifetime
— I see a real hope for that his troubles at home,
including the investigation
change.”
Trump is to travel Tuesday of his ties to Russia and his
firing of FBI Director James
to Bethlehem to visit with
Palestinian leader Mah- Comey, have followed him
across the ocean on his
moud Abbas in the West
Bank. He’ll later to lay a multi-nation journey.
countries
Arab
Gulf
wreath at the Yad Vash-
em, a Holocaust memorial, long have been suspi-
cious about Iran, and the
and deliver a speech at
the Israeli Museum. Obama administration’s
nuclear negotiations fur-
Trump’s visit was laden with
religious symbolism. He thered their worries about
Iran’s regional intentions.
toured the Church of the
Holy Sepulchre, which by Trump is seeking to ease