Trump supports complete occupation of West Bank

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump would support an Israeli annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank and would likely back a complete occupation if Israel deems it necessary, a top aide to the candidate told Israeli paper Haaretz in an interview published Thursday.

David Friedman, who serves as Trump’s adviser on Israel along with Jason D. Greenblatt, told the paper that, if elected, his boss wouldn’t necessarily adopt the positions of previous US presidents in supporting the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

“Not without the approval of the Israelis,” Friedman said. “This is an issue that Israel has to deal with on its own because it will have to deal with the consequences…The Israelis have to make the decision on whether or not to give up land to create a Palestinian state. If the Israelis don’t want to do it, so he doesn’t think they should do it.”

Asked whether Trump would back an Israeli move to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, Friedman said “I think there are parts of the West Bank that will stay part of Israel in any peace deal. I am sure he wouldn’t have any problem with that at all.”

Ask for occupying in the entirety of the territory, Friedman noted that “that’s a legal issue” but then added that “I don’t think he will have a problem with that but he would expect Israel to continue seeking peace.”