Donald Trump shares a laugh on the campaign trail
Donald Trump shares a laugh on the campaign trailReuters

US President-elect Donald Trump suggested to PM Netanyahu that they meet even before Trump’s swearing-in ceremony, Walla reported.

According to to two senior Israeli officials, during a phone conversation between the two following the elections, Trump suggested that Netanyahu come ASAP, and the PM replied that he would be happy to do so. Even so, he requested from the President-elect to check what the protocols were, since, after all, from an official standpoint, Obama is still the President until the swearing-in ceremony.

Afterward, sources close to Netanyahu said that the PM “elegantly refused Trump’s invitation so as not to embarrass Obama.”

A senior diplomatic official explained to Walla the predicament: “There’s only one President at any given time, you can work in parallel. Until January 20, Obama is still in the White House, and you have to keep the rules of the protocol with him.”

Nevertheless, this position would seem to go against the previous decision of Netanyahu in 2015 to speak before congress - to the distinct disapproval of the White House.