Report: Netanyahu Says He’s Ready to Work With Trump

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has “about five” ideas in mind for how to roll back the Iranian nuclear deal once President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

“There are ways, various ways of undoing [the deal],” Netanyahu said in an interview that aired Sunday on CBS’ 60 Minutes program. “I have about five things in my mind.” 

When CBS reporter Lesley Stahl asked Netanyahu to elaborate on the ideas, he declined.

“Well, I’d like to talk to the president before I talk to 60 Minutes,'” the prime minister said.

Stahl also asked Netanyahu how he plans to move ahead with the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and the Israeli leader responded that he would be willing to launch negotiations “at any moment,” dismissing concerns that Jewish settlements are an obstacle to peace.

“The real reason we haven’t had peace is because of a persistent refusal of the Palestinians to recognize a Jewish state in any border,” he said. “You [the Palestinians] ask us to recognize you, I’m willing to do that. I ask you to recognize us. Recognize the Jewish state, for God’s sake.”

Netanyahu added that he still supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and looks forward to receiving Trump’s help on that issue.

“Two states for two peoples,” he said. “And that’s where I’m focused. I’d like to have President Trump, when he gets into the White House, help me work on that. I’d like to see if the Arab states can help me achieve that. It’s a new reality. A new possibility.” {eoa}

This article was originally published at JNS.org. Used with permission.