Washington, Dec. 30 (LaPresse) – During yesterday's meeting, U.S. President Donald Trump and his top advisers asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to modify Israel's policies in the occupied West Bank. This was reported by a U.S. official and another source with direct knowledge of the discussion, according to Axios. According to the sources, the White House fears that a new escalation of violence in the West Bank could undermine the implementation of the Gaza peace agreement and hinder the expansion of the Abraham Accords before the end of Trump’s second term. In recent years, the security situation in the West Bank has worsened significantly, and several Western governments have criticized Israeli policies. So far, however, the Trump administration had been considered largely supportive of Israel. This is the first time, in Trump’s second term, Axios emphasizes, that Washington has addressed the West Bank issue in depth with Netanyahu. According to the sources, the Netanyahu government has, over the past three years, promoted measures that weakened the Palestinian National Authority by reducing its funds, significantly expanded settlements, legalized outposts, encouraged the forced displacement of Palestinian communities, and taken steps toward a de facto annexation of the territories. Trump and his team reportedly expressed concern about the situation and asked Netanyahu to avoid provocative moves and to “cool tensions.”
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