Trump committed to resolving Israel, Palestine conflict: Pence

Team Udayavani, May 3, 2017, 10:50 AM IST

Washington: President Donald Trump is personally committed to resolving the long-running Israeli- Palestinian conflict and will never compromise on the safety and security of the Jewish State, US Vice President Mike Pence has said. He said Trump’s “tireless leadership” has helped in making progress towards attaining the peace in the region.

“The President has personally committed to resolving the Israeli and Palestinian conflict. Even now, we’re making valuable progress toward the noble goal of peace,” Pence said at a White House event to mark the Israeli Independence Day. “Thanks to the President’s tireless leadership, momentum is building and goodwill is growing. While there will undoubtedly have to be compromises, you can rest assured President Donald Trump will never compromise the safety and security of the Jewish State of Israel – not now, not ever,” he said yesterday.

Pence said Trump had made it clear that America stands alongside Israel as friends and as allies and together they will confront those who threaten their people. “Since the moment of their nation’s birth, there’s hardly been a day when the people of Israel have not lived without war or the fear of war, or the grim reality of terror,” he said. Pence said under Trump, America’s support for Israel’s security was at a record level.

“In President Trump, America has a leader who will call our enemies by their name. I want to promise you, as the fight even goes on now in precincts around Mosul and Iraq, even in northern Syria and Afghanistan, this President is determined to keep his promise to the American people,” he said. Trump will meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House today.

Asserting that the ISIS is on the run, Pence said the US will hunt down and destroy the dreaded terror group so that they no longer threaten American friends and allies. Under Trump, America will stand strong in the face of the leading state sponsor of terrorism, he said, adding that the current administration has put Iran on notice.

“America will no longer tolerate Iran’s efforts to destabilise the region and jeopardise Israel’s security. Under President Donald Trump, the United States of America will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. This is our solemn promise to you, to Israel, and to the world,” Pence said.