Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump before leaving New York today.
Netanyahu was in town for the United Nations General Assembly; in his address last week he told members that what was “begun as a moral force has become a moral farce.”
He emphasized that the “greatest threat to my country, to our region, and ultimately to our world remains the militant Islamic regime of Iran.”
“The threat Iran poses to all of us is not behind us, it’s before us,” he told the UN.
The prime minister’s office said Netanyahu first met with Trump at his home in Trump Tower for more than an hour. Israeli Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, were in the meeting.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu discussed with Mr. Trump issues relating to Israel’s security and its efforts to achieve stability and peace in the Middle East,” Netanyahu’s office said. “Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked Mr. Trump for his friendship and support for Israel.”
Dermer also sat in on the meeting with Clinton, which lasted about an hour at the W New York hotel. Jake Sullivan, deputy chief of staff to Clinton as secretary of State and a senior policy adviser on her campaign, sat in on the meeting.
“PM Netanyahu discussed with Secretary Clinton a broad range of issues relating to advancing peace and stability in the Middle East as well as the potential for economic growth through technological innovation,” his office said. “Mr. Netanyahu thanked Secretary Clinton for her friendship and support for Israel.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met this evening in New York with Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. pic.twitter.com/ntMJwpSSGj
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) September 26, 2016
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met this morning in New York with Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/47FSwY8Ha2
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) September 25, 2016
Trump’s campaign said the GOP nominee “recognized Israel as a vital partner of the United States in the global war against radical Islamic terrorism” and the two “discussed at length Israel’s successful experience with a security fence that helped secure its borders.”
Clinton’s campaign said she “underscored her support for the new U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding and emphasized that as president she would continue to strengthen the defense and intelligence relationship and work closely with Israel to ensure Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge.”
“She also stressed her commitment to countering attempts to delegitimize Israel, including through the [Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions] movement.”
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