“As the president has expressed many times, he hopes to achieve peace throughout the Middle East region. The Trump administration has not taken an official position on settlement activity and looks forward to continuing discussions, including with Prime Minister Netanyahu when he visits with President Trump later this month.”

Press secretary Sean Spicer

Acting National Security Adviser Yaakov Negel (L), Mossad Director Yossi Cohen (C) and former Mossad director Tamir Pardo (L) attend a cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem on January 10, 2016 (Alex Kolomoisky/Pool)

Top Israeli Intelligence officials met with Trump’s National Security team in Washington recently. Here is what has been confirmed about the second such meeting since Trump’s election. Follow us on Twitter: @Intel_Today

MOSSAD boss Yossi Cohen made a second trip to Washington to meet with Trump’s aides.

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Yossi Cohen and the acting National Security Adviser Yaakov Nagel met with Trump’s National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Israel’s Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer also attended the meeting

The meeting occurred on January 18 2017. (The first meeting occurred in early December 2016.)

The Prime Minister’s Office confirmed to Haaretz that Cohen and Nagel met with Flynn during their trip to Washington, but did not release any details of what was discussed during their meeting. [Times of Israel]

According to well informed sources, the meeting was intended to coordinate the policies of the two countries on a number of issues. The officials discussed Iran, Syria and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

IRAN

National Security Adviser Michael Flynn warned the Islamic Republic that it had been “put on notice” after firing a ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

US Defense Secretary James Mattis said Saturday that:

“Iran is the single biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world.”

New settlement homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem

Israel has approved the construction of some 6,000 new settlement homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since January 20.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said that the Trump administration had not yet taken a position on new settlement construction.

First contacts

On Thursday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Netanyahu held their first phone call.

Prime Minister Netanyahu  will visit President Trump on February 15.

REFERENCES

Senior Israeli Intelligence Officials Met With Trump Aides, Discussed Palestinian Issue — Haaretz

Israeli intelligence chiefs said to meet with Trump officials — The Times of Israel