Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday morning, told the weekly Cabinet meeting: “We congratulate President Trump on the start of his term. I very much appreciate his deep friendship for Israel, as well as his declared willingness to fight radical Islamic terrorism with full force.
“This evening there will be a telephone conversation between President Trump and myself. There are many issues between us including the Israeli-Palestinian issue, the situation in Syria and the Iranian threat. I would like to make it clear, contrary to reports that I have read, that stopping the Iranian threat, and first and foremost the threat reflected in the bad nuclear agreement that was signed with Iran, continues to be a supreme goal of the State of Israel. On the issue of settlement, none are more concerned about it than the Likud government and I, and we will continue to look out for it wisely and responsibly, for the benefit of the settlement enterprise and the State of Israel.”
Netanyahu also congratulated Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon (Kulanu) for managing to control government expenditures, and Israel’s debt-to-GDP ratio declining to 62.1%, and continuing to decline – among other things due to “correct management of the budget.”
“The credit agencies look at the economy, not only at this figure, but first of all at this figure, and at other data,” said Netanyahu, who has served a stint as Finance Minister in the past. “I think that this is a very significant achievement for the Israeli economy and the policy of the government.”
The PM also wished IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot a quick recovery from his recent medical procedure. “I spoke with him on Friday after his successful surgery, he sounded fine,” said Netanyahu, adding, “I told him that he should listen to his doctors’ orders and recover quickly, and that we are all waiting for him.”