Trump may tell Netanyahu and Eisenkot, 'friends, come to Mar-a-Lago,' to close unity deal
"He’ll wait a bit, see which way the wind is blowing, and then—after a few weeks—he might pick up the phone to Eisenkot and Netanyahu and say, lets close a deal."
US President Donald Trump could eventually step into efforts to form an Israeli unity government, an American official told i24NEWS, as President Isaac Herzog prepares to begin consultations with party leaders next week.
The official suggested Trump would likely wait several weeks before deciding whether to intervene in talks between Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot.
“He won't jump in right away. He will wait a bit, see which way the wind is blowing, and then, after a few weeks, maybe he'll call Eisenkot and Netanyahu and say to them, 'Friends, come to Mar-a-Lago,' to close a deal,” the official said.
The assessment followed an interview with Axios on Wednesday in which Trump said his endorsement of Netanyahu had helped Likud win votes. Trump also said he might consider intervening to help establish a unity government between Netanyahu and Eisenkot.
At the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, consultations are set to begin next week, with party leaders recommending candidates for prime minister.
Herzog has meanwhile begun efforts to encourage agreement on a government, urging party leaders to approach the talks with an open mind to avoid another election.
The president is not backing a particular candidate for prime minister or insisting on a specific governing arrangement.