West Bank sovereignty looms, but can Israel weather fallout?
Few people fancy flying roundtrip between the United States and Israel in the span of 24 hours.
Yet that was Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s itinerary, decamping from Israel after meetings with Prime Minister Netanyahu and his new coalition partners, Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi.
Pundits agonized over what urgent business prompted Pompeo’s lightning visit. All of the issues raised, according to press reports, could have been discussed long distance, including US concerns over Israel’s growing business ties with China, Israel’s up-tempo military attacks on Iranian interests in Syria, and comparing notes on the coronavirus and implementation of President Trump’s “deal of the century.”
While we don’t know what secrets the parties may have shared, the US does have one overriding concern that may have brought Pompeo in person. It’s the same interest that motivated the White House to invite Benny Gantz for a chat along with Netanyahu in January when Trump unveiled his vision for Arab-Israeli peace.
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