— Looking to escape his legal and political woes at home, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was headed Wednesday toward a warmer embrace in Portugal for a meeting with like-minded ally US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
With his back against the wall in Israel, Netanyahu will be seeking to project a stately image of business as usual and secure further American commitments for whatever time he has left in office. Before departing, Netanyahu said that his talks with Pompeo will “center foremost on Iran and two other subjects: the American defense treaty that I want to advance, and the future American recognition of Israeli annexation of the Jordan Valley.”
Most observers believe a unity government between their parties, which together control a majority of seats in parliament, is the best way out of the crisis. But Gantz and his partners have ruled out a power-sharing rotation with a prime minister indicted of serious crimes.In Lisbon, Netanyahu is expected to raise his proposal to annex the West Bank’s Jordan Valley.
Netanyahu has welcomed the crippling US sanctions against Iran, and following Iran’s deadly crackdown on protesters angry over rising fuel prices, the Israeli leader has urged the international community to impose sanctions as well.