Trump White House Archived / Flickr (Left), Mohammed Ibrahim / Unsplash (Right)
CV NEWS FEED // Leaders from Hamas and Israel have reacted to the election of President Donald Trump, both expressing hope for peace.
According to Newsweek, Hamas Political Bureau member and spokesperson Basem Naim said that Palestine looks forward to “an immediate cessation of the aggression against our people” in the wake of the presidential election, though he did say the election “is a private matter for the Americans.”
Naim added that Palestinians “look for assistance in achieving their legitimate rights of freedom, independence, and the establishment of their independent self-sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital.”
He continued, “The blind support for the Zionist entity ‘Israel’ and its fascist government, at the expense of the future of our people and the security and stability of the region, must stop immediately.”
Newsweek reached out for comment from an Israeli spokesperson, who said that “maintaining and building upon the special relationship between the U.S. and Israel has been a bipartisan feature of American politics since the founding of the Jewish state.”
“We have no doubt that this will continue to be the case,” the Israeli official added. “Going forward, we look forward to a strong working relationship with his administration to bring about a more peaceful, secure and prosperous Middle East.”
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was one of the first people to congratulate Trump on his victory, according to Newsweek.
Netanyahu, who has maintained a close relationship with President-elect Trump called his re-election “history’s greatest comeback” in a statement, adding, “Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America.”
Netanyahu later called Trump, and Israel described it as a “warm and cordial” exchange where the two leaders “agreed to work together for Israel’s security, and also discussed the Iranian threat.”
Newsweek states that despite Trump’s relationship with Netanyahu, he has criticized the prime minister’s leadership during the war and has called for an end to the conflict.
