Mossad Director Yossi Cohen briefed the Trump staff members on the Iranian nuclear deal, the Syrian “civil” war, terror threats and the Palestinian issue, Ynet News reported Saturday.
The report did not give details on when the security briefing took place, but the news of the secret meeting came after a UN resolution on Israel that may end with charges in the International Criminal Court.
The UNSC passed the measure on Friday after the US abstained, enabling the adoption of the first resolution since 1979 to condemn Israel over its settlement policy.
The security delegation was organized by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, according to Ynet, and was led by National Security Council head Yaakov Nagel. Israeli ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer reportedly also attended the meetings.
The Israeli officials reportedly met with Trump officials on a proposed regional conference to jumpstart the Israeli-Arab peace process to be held in Egypt.
A diplomatic flurry ensued after an anti-Israel United Nations resolution proposed by the Palestinian Authority, backed by New Zealand and allegedly drafted by the Obama administration.
“By standing with the sworn enemies of Israel to enable the passage of this destructive, one-sided anti-Israel rant and tirade,” the Washington Times reported the furious Israeli premier as saying, “Mr. Obama shows his colors.” Netanyahu also called Obama a betrayer.
But unfortunately for Israel, the blow was delivered by its friends and not its enemies. The US had abstained, but Britain, whose Balfour Declaration of 1917 led to the Jewish state in Palestine, voted for the resolution, US commentator Patrick Buchanan notes.
The fallout from Obama’s decision to abstain from Friday’s Security Council vote demanding Israel stop settlements in Palestinian territory, has meanwhile caused the White House to backtrack.
Obama’s advisor told the media that Obama will not allow any further United Nations measures critical of Israel to pass during the remainder of his term.
Deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes made these promises on Wednesday, after Israel escalated its word war with the outgoing US administration, claiming that it has “rather hard” evidence that the US president was instrumental in writing the anti-Israel proposal.
President-elect Trump meanwhile took to Twitter to mock the United Nations. He questioned the quality of the officials manning the United Nations, saying it’s just a club for people to “have a good time.”
The president-elect posted a tweet that said the UN has “such great potential,” but it has become “just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time. So sad!”
