Arabic version: ترامب يصف علاقته بنتنياهو بأنها «جيدة جداً»

According to Al Jazeera, United States President Donald Trump said his relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains “very good”, despite Netanyahu’s rejection of a 15-point Gaza peace plan drafted by the US-led Board of Peace.

Trump made the brief comment on Monday after an Oval Office event at the White House in Washington, responding to a shouted question from a journalist. Netanyahu had formally stated on Sunday that he opposed the plan, which called for Israel to begin withdrawing forces in tandem with Hamas disarmament.

Trump announced a breakthrough in the US-led ceasefire framework late last month, saying Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza had accepted a phased plan. Under the proposal, armed groups would surrender weapons to a new Palestinian governing body while Israel began a corresponding troop withdrawal.

Netanyahu said the Israeli army “will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed” and would continue to counter threats against Israeli forces and citizens. He also said Israel was discussing the matter with the Americans and pledged that “no Palestinian state will arise as long as I am prime minister”.

A Board of Peace official said on Monday that the Gaza plan remained operative. The official told Reuters that implementation would depend on verification on the ground, with discussions with Israel continuing and each stage advancing only after required commitments were met.