Talks currently held between US special envoy for the peace process Jason Greenblatt and Israeli officials could have tackled details of US plan to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Israeli media reported.
Until Saturday evening, no meeting was held between Head of the centrist Kahol Lavan Party (Blue and White) Benny Gantz and Greenblatt, who had earlier met with incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
Despite reports on a meeting scheduled for Friday between Greenblatt and Gantz, the latter’s office announced that he had not been invited to such a meeting.
Israeli sources have suggested that Greenblatt and US ambassador to Israel David Friedman prefer dealing with Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump’s friend.
Americans believe that forming a unity government would be more suitable to be able to promote the deal Trump is working on because a narrow right-wing government may face difficulties in implementing the terms of the peace plan.
Greenblatt and Netanyahu made no comments to reporters following their meeting at the Premier’s residence that was attended by Israel’s ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer and Friedman.
“Jason Greenblatt will hold talks with various parties on US-Israel relations, regional dynamics and the US government’s peace efforts,” the US embassy in Israel said.
Israeli media said talks might have tackled the best timing to launch the US peace plan to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
It is noteworthy that Greenblatt had arrived in Israel on Thursday on a visit believed to be aimed at verifying whether the time has come to announce the deal of the century, and the best time to release it, either during coalition negotiations or once the government is formed.
It is also suggested that Greenblatt’s current visit is also aimed at influencing the political system in Israel and making sure the deal of the century will be part of the consultations to form the next government.
The US envoy will also try to pave the way for the deal and try to reduce objections.
The election’s results in Israel, in which Netanyahu suffered a defeat, seem to have overshadowed the US peace plan.
With nearly all votes counted Thursday, the centrist Blue and White party stood at 33 seats in Israel’s 120-seat parliament. Netanyahu’s conservative Likud stood at 31 seats.
