Some 12 hours after losing his mandate to form the next government and sending the country to new elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with senior Trump administration officials Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt in his Jerusalem residence on Thursday to discuss Washington’s diplomatic moves.

“How’s everything?” asked Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law, after greeting the prime minister with a hug.
“Interesting,” Netanyahu replied.

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In a brief statement before the talks that went on for some three hours, Netanyahu referred to last night’s political drama as a “little event.”

“It’s always a great pleasure to welcome Jared Kushner to Israel, to Jerusalem, to discuss our common efforts for prosperity, security and peace,” he said. “I have to say I am tremendously encouraged by everything I hear, and about how President Trump, the United States, is working to bring allies together in the region against common challenges, but also to seize common opportunities.

“Even though we had a little event last night, it is not going to stop us,” Netanyahu continued. “We are going to continue working together. We had a great, productive meeting that reaffirms that the alliance with the United States of America has never been stronger, and is going to get stronger.”

Kushner made no mention of the current political crisis, agreeing with Netanyahu that the relationship between the two countries has never been stronger, saying, “We are very excited about all the potential that lies ahead for Israel, the relationship and the region.”

Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer also joined the meeting, as did Brian Hook – the US special envoy on Iran – and Kushner’s deputy Avi Berkowitz…. (Excerpted from The Jerusalem Post article by Hern Keinon)