Weekend Reads Israeli colonization: Netanyahu enjoys the Trump presidency to the end

Trump’s influence will drop ‘dramatically’ after Biden’s inauguration, Bolton says

When Donald Trump is no longer president his influence will drop "dramatically," Former White House National Security Adviser John Bolton told The West Block‘s Mercedes Stephenson.“At noon on the 20th of January, the world changes in immeasurable ways...But one of the ways that it will change is Donald Trump's influence will drop dramatically,” Former White House national security adviser John Bolton told The West Block‘s Mercedes Stephenson in an interview.

Everything, as always with Donald Trump , is about what's good for the President .

Netanyahu 's office called a report of Israeli spying. He was en route to Russia to meet with President Vladimir Putin when he reviewed the report. Former officials said they were likely to spy on President Donald Trump .

© AFP / Archivos Donald Trump and Benyamin Netanyahu, January 28, 2020.

On the eve of the inauguration of new US President Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu has wanted to legalize settlements in the Palestinian territories, reports the Israeli press. His government has also issued tenders for the construction of more than 2,500 housing units in settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

From our correspondent in Jerusalem, Sami Boukhelifa

Benyamin Netanayhu knows perfectly well the position of the future American president: Joe Biden is "opposed to colonization". So, no way to waste a second. Until the end, the Israeli Prime Minister wanted to profit from the presidency of his great friend and ally Donald Trump.

Kelly McParland: Can Trump even find someone to play golf with him right now?

If you were a famously thin-skinned president tormented with fear of being identified as a loser, what would hurt you more: your neighbours disliking you, your minions abandoning you, your allies forsaking you, your country firing you or someone taking away your golf tournament ? Donald Trump faces all those humiliations and more. His banishment from social media, with virtually every platform you care to mention banning or suspending him, silences the online voice that connected him directly to a horde of rabid supporters, with their Confederate flags and MAGA hats. He’s barely got a friend left in the world. His vice-president is livid. His attorney general quit.

In July, the Israeli company AID Genomics announced that it had developed a half-hour coronavirus test kit, and predicted it would become a During his upcoming speech to the UN General Assembly, Benjamin Netanyahu will “surprise Nasrallah with new revelations,” the Prime Minister’s Office says.

US President Donald Trump , left, congratulates Senior Counselor to the President Stephen Bannon during the swearing-in of senior staff in the East Room of the For as little as a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing

50% increase in colonization

During his mandate, the Israeli authorities had carte blanche. More than 450,000 settlers live in the occupied West Bank today. Their number has increased by 50% during the last ten years with a real boom during the presidency of Donald Trump.

According to the Israeli movement Peace Now , which reveals these new tenders, Benjamin Netanyahu is trying "to expand the settlements as much as possible [...] before the change of administration in Washington".

,780 housing units announced last week

Peace Now interprets these new announcements "as a signal" sent by Israel to the future American president: "there is no intention to resolve the conflict with the Palestinians." Already last week Benyamin Netanyahu announced the construction of 780 housing units in settlements in the occupied West Bank.

► See also: 2020, a record year for colonization in the West Bank