Trump, Netanyahu speak on phone, discuss Iran, rising anti-Semitism in US

Jerusalem: The President of the United States called the Israeli Prime Minister on Monday to discuss matters related to Iran, as well as a recent wave of anti-Semitism in the US, according to the Prime Minister’s office.

A brief readout of the conversation, provided by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, said that he and Donald Trump spoke about Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the need to work together, Xinhua news agency reported.

“The PM thanked POTUS again for his warm hospitality during his recent visit to Washington,” read the statement.

It added that Netanyahu “expressed appreciation for the President’s strong statement against anti-Semitism during his speech before Congress last week”.

Trump had said in his speech that threats targeting Jewish community centres and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries “remind us that while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms”.

The statement said that both leaders spoke at length about the “dangers” posed by the nuclear deal with Iran and by the latter’s “malevolent behaviour” in the region.

It concluded by saying that Netanyahu and Trump also discussed the “need to work together to counter those dangers”.

–IANS