U.S. PRESIDENT IN FIRST DIRECT RIYADH-TO-TEL AVIV FLIGHT

In this May 21, 2017 photo released by the Saudi Press Agency, (from left to right), Egyptian President Abdelfattah el-Sisi, Saudi King Salman, US First Lady Melania Trump and President Donald Trump, visit a new Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AP) and US President Donald Trump visits the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, in Jerusalem’s Old City on May 22. (AFP)

JERUSALEM, May 22, (Agencies): President Donald Trump opened his first visit to Israel Monday, saying he sees growing recognition among Muslim nations that they share a “common cause” with Israel in their determination to counter the threats posed by Iran. Arriving directly from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Trump expressed his hope for cooperation among US allies in the Middle East. His second stop on the nine-day tour aimed to test the waters for reviving the dormant Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Trump, who had previously suggested that it would be easier than anticipated to solve the conflict that has vexed his predecessors for decades, said that conditions were right in both Israel and the Arab world to strike what he has called “the ultimate deal.” “We have before us a rare opportunity to bring security and stability and peace to this region and to its people,” Trump said upon his arrival in Tel Aviv. Trump’s first stop was a meeting in Jerusalem with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.In a statement following the meeting, Trump addressed his meetings the previous day with Arab and Muslim leaders in Saudi Arabia, and said that there is growing realization that they share a “common cause with you” in their determination to defeat extremism and deter “the threat posed by Iran.”OptimismIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Trump “a true friend” to Israel and expressed optimism about the president’s role in the Middle East peace process. But obstacles have emerged that may complicate the relationship between the White House and the Knesset. Trump, wearing a yarmulke, on Monday became the first sitting president to visit the Western Wall.Trump touched it in prayer and, adhering to tradition, placed a note in a deep crevice. He also toured the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is believed to be where Jesus was crucified and the location of his tomb.On Tuesday, he is set to meet with Abbas in the West Bank and deliver a speech at the Israeli Museum. But Trump may face concerns from Israelis over the new $110 billion arms deal he announced during his previous stop in Saudi Arabia as well as questions from Israeli officials about revelations that he disclosed sensitive Israeli intelligence to Russian officials. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, speaking to reporters onboard Air Force One, said the US could provide clarifications to Israel about the disclosure but said, “I don’t know that there’s anything to apologize for.”ProgressWhite House aides have also tried to play down expectations for significant progress on the peace process during Trump’s stop, casting the visit as symbolic. Tillerson referred to the visit as “a moment in time” and suggested that the US would take a more active role in the future in brokering a deal if both sides make serious commitments.Trump, whose unorthodox approach has spurred some hope on both sides of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict, has done no such managing of expectations. He boldly stated that achieving peace is “something that I think is, frankly, maybe not as difficult as people have thought over the years,” in March during a meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. “But we need two willing parties,” he said then. “We believe Israel is willing. We believe you’re willing. And if you both are willing, we’re going to make a deal.” And Trump made one symbolic gesture Monday in bridging the gap between Israel and the Arab world. His flight on Air Force One was believed to be the first direct flight between Saudi Arabia and Israel, nations that have limited diplomatic relations. Even the White House press corps making the trip on a separate plane from Riyadh to Tel Aviv had to make a technical stop in Cyprus before proceeding to Israel.Netanyahu said he hoped an Israeli prime minister could soon make the same flight. Gulf Arab countries long have been suspicious about Iran, whether that’s the United Arab Emirates’ long-running dispute over Iran seizing several Arabian Gulf islands from it in 1971 to Bahrain’s simmering anger over a 1981 coup attempt it blamed on the newly formed Islamic Republic.The Obama administration’s nuclear negotiations further fueled Gulf nations’ worries about Iran’s regional intentions, especially as it backs Shiite militias fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq and supported the government of embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad that many had opposed through supporting rebel groups there.Trump is seeking to ease concerns that his policies wouldn’t be as beneficial to Israel as once believed. He has taken a tougher line on settlements than Israeli officials had believed, urging restraint but though not calling for a full halt to construction. Trump has also retreated from a campaign pledge to move the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, bending to the same diplomatic and security concerns as other presidents who have made similar promises. Palestinians, who viewed Trump’s victory with some trepidation, are said to have been pleasantly surprised by Trump’s openness during a recent meeting with Abbas in Washington. And on the eve of Trump’s visit, an Israeli official said Netanyahu’s cabinet has approved confidence building measures with the Palestinians, including allowing building in a West Bank area. The official briefed on Sunday’s meeting said the package includes building permits for Palestinians in Area C that has largely been off limits to Palestinian development until now. He spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal government announcement. He did not elaborate and it is not clear how big the plan is. One point of contention in the talks: the fate of east Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war.The area is home to sensitive religious sites, including the Western Wall, the holiest place where Jews can pray. Israel considers the entire city to be its capital while the international community says the future of east Jerusalem, claimed by the Palestinians, must be resolved through negotiations. The Trump administration drew the ire of some Israelis this week when officials declined to state that the Western Wall was part of Israel, as has been US policy.And while Netanyahu in the past has expressed support for the establishment of a Palestinian state, he has been vague about this goal since Trump gained power. Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, meanwhile, accused Trump on Monday of smearing the name of Palestinian “resistance” to Israeli occupation during a speech on Islam. Addressing Muslim leaders in Riyadh on Sunday, Trump called for unity against “Islamic terror”, specifically naming Hamas and the Islamic State group. Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum said Trump’s remarks were “aimed at besmirching the reputation of the Palestinian resistance”.