Trump urges Israel to settle Gaza conflict before election
Donald Trump wants Israel to resolve the conflict in the Gaza Strip before his potential assumption of the US presidency if he wins the upcoming election, reported "Times of Israel". The information comes from two sources close to the matter.
According to the reports, Trump's request was not specific, and he himself suggested that he would be willing to support "minimal" Israeli military activity in the Gaza Strip, "provided Jerusalem would officially end the war," conveyed a former American official.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, has long emphasised the necessity of maintaining a security situation in the Gaza Strip that Israel controls in the future. Other Israeli officials have suggested the need to maintain a buffer zone to more easily monitor potential Hamas movements.
Trump's "wish list"
In recent weeks, Trump, who is the Republican candidate for president, has criticised President Joe Biden for the restrictions imposed on Israel, especially in the context of strikes aimed at facilities in Iran. Trump indicated that Israel would have more autonomy in its strategic decisions if he were to win.
Sources from "Times of Israel" emphasise that on Trump's wish list regarding Israel before his potential inauguration is also the release of hostages who were abducted from Israel. At the Republican convention in July, Trump announced that those responsible for holding American hostages outside the US "will pay a big price" if they are not released before his potential assumption of office.
Israel's concerns before the US elections
A few weeks ago, two Israeli politicians expressed their concerns to journalists about Trump's pressure for a quick resolution of the conflict. In their opinion, if the war were not ended before GMT on 20 January, when the presidential inauguration is set to occur, it could lead to tensions with the new US president, whether it be Trump or Kamala Harris.
They noted that while Netanyahu was able to negotiate with Harris successfully and gained recognition for it, he would likely want to avoid a conflict with Trump.
