PM Netanyahu with US President Trump. Photo courtesy of Israeli GPO
The United States and Israel could move towards arranging a mutual defense treaty linking the two countries, according to US President Donald Trump’s Twitter feed and comments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On Saturday, Trump tweeted in a pair of tweets, “I had a call today with Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss the possibility of moving forward with a Mutual Defense Treaty, between the United States and Israel, that would further anchor the tremendous alliance…. between our two countries. I look forward to continuing those discussions after the Israeli Elections when we meet at the United Nations later this month!”
Netanyahu thanked Trump on Twitter and then spoke further on the proposal on Sunday in comments released by his office. “We agreed to advance a historic defensive alliance between the US and Israel at our upcoming meeting at the UN General Assembly,” he declared.
“This is historic because it adds a powerful component of deterrence against our enemies, alongside maintaining the ability to act, and freedom of action, of our forces. On this we will always insist and it will always be in this defensive agreement just as it has entered into the other defensive agreements. This is a main component for coming generations to ensure our future.”
The Washington Post, in its reporting on the proposal, explained that a mutual defense treaty could officially require the US to intervene if Israel were attacked, serving as a permanent source of security against enemies such as Iran. Netanyahu’s insistence on Israel retaining its ability to defend itself when it chooses was in response to claims reported in the Post article from a political rival that a treaty with the US could limit Israel’s military independence.
On Sunday, Netanyahu called the potential treaty “important in ensuring the future of Israel,” following up on his effusive thanks to Trump on Twitter on Saturday.
Tweeted Netanyahu at the time, “Thank you my dear friend President @realDonaldTrump. The Jewish State has never had a greater friend in the White House. I look forward to our meeting at the UN to advance a historic Defense Treaty between the United States and Israel.”
(By Joshua Spurlock, www.themideastupdate.com, September 15, 2019)