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New Israeli elections throw wrench in US peace plan

With a new Israeli government unlikely to be formed until late October, as the US 2020 presidential campaign heats up, the Trump administration is increasingly unlikely to present the political component of its peace vision before a second term, analysts and diplomats said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greets Senior White House advisor Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt, during their meeting in Jerusalem May 30, 2019. Matty Stern/U.S. Embassy Jerusalem/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. *** Local Caption *** ????? ????? ?? ????? ????? ?'??? ?????, ????? ?????? ???? ???? ?'????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ????? ????? ????? ??? ????? ???? ??????? (30 ????, 2019) ?? ??? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????

WASHINGTON — While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner to his residence with a hug today and shrugged off his failure to secure a governing coalition as a mere “little event,” Trump expressed regret at the rare political setback for his Israeli ally.

“It's too bad what happened in Israel,” Trump told reporters as he departed the White House this morning to travel to the Air Force Academy in Colorado. “It looked like a total win for Netanyahu, who's a great guy. … And now they're back … in the election stage.” 

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