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Page 17

Warming Ties

Trump, Netanyahu Meet, Signaling Renewed Comity

President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 15,
2017, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

VIVIAN SALAMA Israeli Prime Minister Ben- open to alternatives. “I’m office that resolution to the gence of an independent
Associated Press jamin Netanyahu, Trump looking at two-state and conflict required a viable Palestine. The alternatives
WASHINGTON (AP) — broke not only with re- one-state, and I like the Palestinian state. Separate- appear to offer dimmer
Charting a striking new cent U.S. presidents but also one that both parties like,” ly on Wednesday, Palestin- prospects for peace, given
course for the Middle East, distanced the United States he told reporters. “I can live ian leader Mahmoud Ab- Palestinian demands for
President Donald Trump from the prevailing position with either one.” The United bas called on Netanyahu statehood. Dozens of coun-
on Wednesday withheld of much of the world. States has formally backed to end settlement building tries, including the U.S., re-
clear support for an inde- While Trump urged Netan- the two-state solution as and expressed “willingness affirmed their support for
pendent Palestine and de- yahu to “hold off” on Jew- official policy since 2002, to resume a credible peace a two-state accord at an
clared he could endorse a ish settlement construction when President George process “ Also on Wednes- international conference
one-nation solution to the in territory the Palestinians W. Bush said in the White day, CIA chief Mike Pom- in Paris last month, before
long and deep dispute be- claim for their future state, House Rose Garden that peo secretly held talks in Trump’s inauguration. In
tween Palestinians and Isra- he offered unwavering his vision was “two states, the West Bank with Abbas, Cairo on Wednesday, U.N.
el. The American president, support for Israel, a pledge living side by side in peace the first high-level meeting Secretary-General Anto-
signaling a new era of co- he appeared to substanti- and security.” In practice, between the Palestinian nio Guterres said: “There is
mity between the U.S. and ate with his vague com- the U.S. already had em- leader and a Trump ad- no Plan B to the situation
Israel after rocky relations ments about the shape braced the policy infor- ministration official, senior between Palestinians and
under President Barack of any agreement. While mally. President Bill Clinton, Palestinian officials said. Israelis but a two-state solu-
Obama, said he was more it once appeared that a who oversaw the Oslo Ac- The White House wouldn’t tion. ... Everything must be
interested in an agreement two-state solution was the cords in the 1990s that were comment on the meeting done to preserve that pos-
that leads to peace than “easier of the two” options envisioned as a stepping All serious peace nego- sibility.”
in any particular path to for the Palestinians and Is- stone to Palestinian state- tiations in recent decades Continued on Page 3
get there. Standing beside rael, Trump said he’d be hood, said before leaving have assumed the emer-