US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday that the decision to implement Israeli sovereignty over settlements in the West Bank belongs to Israel, not to the American administration.
This came in an interview with the newspaper Yisrael Hume, one day before his trip to Israel, which is his first foreign trip since the Corona virus crisis, and will include several countries, but Israel will be the first region he will visit, especially since his visit coincides with the formation of a new government with a coalition agreement between Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the Likud party, and Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue-White party, who they will meet next to Mossad chief Yossi Cohen.
Pompeo said that he will hold important meetings during his visit to Israel, and that he will discuss with Netanyahu, Gantz and Cohen the Iranian threat and continue to work to deter Tehran from achieving nuclear weapons, President Donald Trump´s vision of the peace process (Deal of the Century), and other issues related to the Corona crisis and joint work to find a cure for the virus.
The newspaper says Pompeo during the interview hinted that the US administration had given the green light for the application of sovereignty, but he avoided saying that outright.
The US Secretary of State has indicated that he will hold talks with Netanyahu and Gantz about Trump´s "Deal of the Century" plan and what they are thinking about.
In response to a question about whether to ask Netanyahu and Gantz to postpone the move to implement sovereignty and not take it now, Pompeo said: This decision will be taken by Israel, and all I want to understand is how you will think about this.
Asked if there was an American green light in this regard, he said, "Once again, I intend to hear their opinion on this, and the last decision belongs to Israel, but we will certainly discuss together how best to implement the vision of peace that Netanyahu agreed to."
On the opposition of some Arab countries to this step, the American Secretary of State said that the administration of his country is in contact with all countries and there is a good partnership with them, and that the American vision in the plan took into account the vision of comprehensive peace in the region, and all these elements are part of the plan, which is important for those countries Arabic too.
He rejected accusations by European countries, including that the plan contradicted peace, considering that it promotes peace and more realistic than any other plan.
On the Iranian issue, he said that the US administration will work to prevent Tehran from acquiring any nuclear weapons, and that it will take harsh measures not only economically but diplomatically to do so.
