Netanyahu, Trump's advisers discuss U.S. peace plan

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday met with U.S. President Donald Trump's Mideast advisers in Jerusalem to discuss Trump's peace plan for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The U.S. delegation was led by Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and included the U.S. Middle East envoy, Jason Greenblatt, and U.S. special representative for Iran, Brian Hook, according to a statement released by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office.

"As you know, we had a minor incident last night," Netanyahu told his guests, referring to the Israeli parliament's resolution to dissolve itself and hold snap elections on September 17 after Netanyahu failed to form a coalition before the deadline.

"This will not stop us," said Netanyahu, "We will continue to work together."

Moroccan King Mohammed VI (R) sharing an iftar meal with Senior Adviser to the President of the United States Jared Kushner (L), at the Royal Residence in Rabat, Morocco, May 28, 2019. /VCG Photo

He described the meeting as "excellent and fruitful," adding that it "emphasized that the alliance between the U.S. and Israel has never been stronger and will continue to grow even stronger."

Kushner said the visit was his first time in Israel since Trump recognized Syria's Golan Heights as Israeli territory.

"We appreciate all your efforts to strengthen the relations between our two countries, they have never been stronger and we are very excited by the potential here in Israel, in our relations and in our future," Kushner said.

U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, right, in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC, U.S., on March 25, 2019. /VCG Photo

The U.S. delegation is on a trip to several capitals in the region this week, seeking support for the Middle East peace plan, or Deal of the Century, that the U.S. plans to roll out soon.

The U.S. delegation arrived in Israel on Wednesday, after meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah II in Amman. The king reiterated his support to the two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel's parliament, or the Knesset, approved on Wednesday night a law to dissolve itself and hold new general elections, in an unprecedented move that sent the country into its second election in less than a year. The previous election was held on April 9.

The move, in addition to the Palestinian Authority's announcement rejecting the U.S. as a peace process mediator due to the Trump administration's bias in favor of Israel, has diminished the plan's chances of success.

The last round of U.S.-brokered peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians reached an impasse in 2014.

(Cover: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pauses as he delivers a speech during a press conference at the prime minister office in Jerusalem, Israel, August 27, 2014. /VCG Photo)

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency