Netanyahu coordinated legalising settlements with Trump

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu coordinated proposing the bill to recognise illegal Israeli settlements built in occupied Palestinian territories with US President Donald Trump, Israeli newspaper Haaretz revealed yesterday.

According to Arab48.com, Haaretz reported Netanyahu saying that the bill to recognise illegal Israeli settlements was to be put forward for approval in the second and third readings by the Knesset today.

Netanyahu noted that this bill would be approved but he first wanted to discuss the issue with Trump before it.

Read: Israel interprets US settlements statement as green light

Haaretz said that Israeli Mossad Chief Yossi Cohen and acting National Security Adviser Yaakov Nagel met with Trump’s top National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and other aides two days before Trump’s inauguration on 20 January.

They discussed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and other issues, including the issue of the Iranian nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, Haaretz reported that Netanyahu is meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson in London today, seeking to a joint stance against Iran.

Read: France condemns resumption of Israeli settlements’ construction in Jerusalem

In remarks at Ben-Gurion International Airport, Netanyahu underlined the opportunity presented at the moment for strengthening ties with the new governments in London and in Washington.

He added, according to Haaretz, that Tehran was also aware of this and is trying to test the boundaries through what he called “extraordinary aggression, impudence and defiance”.