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Israel awaits Trump's landmark visit with rising anxiety over goals

Xinhua | Updated: 2017-05-18 08:52

Netanyahu has frequently stated publicly he is in favor of an independent Palestinian state as a result of bilateral negotiations with Israel.

Meir says Netanyahu may publicly demand the move of the embassy in order to appease his coalition and buy himself political stability.

"He wants President Trump to move the embassy to Jerusalem and to try to get to a status quo between Israel and the Palestinians, to continue settlements. He will not insist on a two-state solution, maybe publicly as a lip service he will do it but in reality he wants to survive as Prime Minister. This is his first goal."

On the campaign trail, Trump also said he did not see Israeli settlements in the West Bank as an obstacle to peace between the two rivals.

Palestinians see settlements as a severe impediment to statehood.

After meeting Netanyahu in the White House, Trump moderated his opinion. At a press briefing with the Israeli leader in Washington, the American president told him "to hold off on settlements a little bit."

For Israel's right wing, who thought the new American administration would at the very least turn a blind eye to settlement expansion, the request was the equivalent to a slap in the face.

For the Israeli Prime Minister it was a wake-up call, Trump was not going to make his political life easy.

Netanyahu will be wary to upset his ally during his visit.

The Israeli Prime Minister is coming to realize that Trump's seemingly pro-Israeli stance may actually be a hindrance to his political goal of managing the conflict with the Palestinians without really needing to solve it.

As opposed to the strenuous relationship Netanyahu had with former US President Barack Obama, the Israeli government can no longer say they do not have a sympathetic ally in the White House.

"Netanyahu will do everything in his power not to go into tension with this President," adds Meir.

Ben Caspit, an Israeli political commentator, wrote that such a deal is "nothing short of a nightmare" for the prime minister.

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