JERUSALEM — A top Israeli minister close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed rare criticism of President Donald Trump on Monday and said he expects the government to approve more construction in West Bank Jewish settlements next week. Palestinians demand east Jerusalem for the capital of their future state, along with the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Elkin also said Israel is set to give the green light next week to new homes in Jewish West Bank settlements. Two decades of U.S.-led peace plans have called for evacuating settlements to make room for a Palestinian state alongside Israel. Trump has been more sympathetic to West Bank settlements than his predecessor Barack Obama, gaining fans in Netanyahu’s government and prompting some pro-settler lawmakers to press Netanyahu to exploit the perceived leniency and approve more settlement housing.

Source: National Post October 09, 2017 08:03 UTC