MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP/Getty Images(JERUSALEM) — President Trump stressed the deep and longstanding ties between the U.S. and Israel during a speech in Jerusalem Tuesday morning.
“I make this promise to you: my administration will always stand with Israel,” Trump said.
The president also talked about his visit to the Western Wall, where he said he prayed “for wisdom from God,” and his visit to the Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem where he said that he vowed “never again.”
Trump briefly commented on Monday night’s deadly attack at a concert in Manchester, England, sending condolences to the families of those “innocent people, beautiful young people” who were killed.
The details about the Manchester attack have not been confirmed, but Trump went on to talk about terror attacks more generally, saying that we must “obliterate this evil ideology and protect and defend our citizens and people of the world.”
Much of the speech was dedicated to affirming “the unshakable bond” between the U.S. and Israel.
“Iran’s leaders routinely call for Israel’s destruction. Not with Donald J. Trump,” he said.
Trump went on to say that he is “personally committed” to helping Israel and Palestinians reach a lasting peace, acknowledging that promises for such a deal have been made but, in an apparent reference to his record of dealmaking in business, he said, “That’s what I do.”
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, whom Trump met with earlier Tuesday, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are both “reaching for peace,” the president said.
“Making peace, however, will not be easy … but with determination, compromise and the belief that peace is possible,” he said.
Trump was introduced by Netanyahu, who thanked the U.S. leader for his “steadfast” support of the Jewish people.
“Over the years, Israel has had many friends, but Israel has never had and will never have a better friend than the United States of America,” Netanyahu said.
He went on to thank Trump “for standing up for Israel at the United Nations and everywhere else.”
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