Donald Trump links Mexico border wall plan to Israel’s ‘successful’ separation barrier
Republicans campaign highlights lengthy discussion between Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on securing borders
Donald Trump attempted to draw parallels between Israels separation barrier and his much-touted border wall pledge on Sunday after both presidential nominees met the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
In Trumps hour-long meeting with Netanyahu at his Trump Tower penthouse, the two reportedly discussed at length Israels successful experience with a security fence that helped secure its borders, according to the Trump campaign.
Israels separation barrier, which runs for 440 miles (700km) near or along the 1949 armistice lines set after Israels war for independence, is a fence of most of its length. In contrast, Trump has pledged to build a wall of concrete and rebar as high as 55 feet (17 metres) along the nearly 2,000 mile border between the US and Mexico.
The meeting was the first of two that Netanyahu held with presidential candidates on Sunday, the day before the first presidential debate. Contrary to custom both meetings were closed to the media, the Trump campaign has prevented reporters from any access to his meeting with Netanyahu and aides to the Israeli prime minister reportedly went on to insist Clintons campaign abide by the same rules Trump insisted upon.
According to a readout provided by the Republicans campaign, the nominee signaled support for the controversial moving of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, as the real estate developer acknowledged that Jerusalem has been the eternal capital of the Jewish people for over 3,000 years, and that the United States, under a Trump administration, will finally accept the long-standing Congressional mandate to recognize Jerusalem as the undivided capital of the State of Israel.
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Despite the fact Trumps daughter Ivanka converted to Judaism upon her marriage to property developer and top Trump campaign aide Jared Kushner in 2009, he has made some missteps so far in the campaign on Middle East policy and appealing to Jewish voters, who make up a key demographic in American elections.
In 2015, speaking to the Republican Jewish Coalition, Trump referred to stereotypes relating to Jews and money and told the audience: Youre not going to support me because I dont want your money, suggesting they wanted to control politicians. In 2016, speaking before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel advocacy group, Trump gave a notably stilted performance in what was his first speech using a teleprompter.
Clintons meeting, which lasted just under an hour on Sunday night, was held at the W Hotel in Union Square. In the meeting, which was described by the Clinton campaign as an in-depth conversation, Clinton stressed that a strong and secure Israel is vital to the United States because we share overarching strategic interests and the common values of democracy, equality, tolerance, and pluralism. The Democratic nominee also reaffirmed her support for a two-state solution that guarantees Israels future as a secure and democratic Jewish state with recognized borders and provides the Palestinians with independence, sovereignty, and dignity. She stressed her opposition to any attempt by outside parties to impose a solution, including by the UN security council.