Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely met with US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, who officially began his role as Ambassador Tuesday after presenting his credentials to President Reuven Rivlin.
Hotovely congratulated Friedman on his appointment and said that she was confident that positive changes would be made. After the meeting, Hotovely posted a picture of her and the Ambassador on her Twitter account, along with the message: "Welcome, dear friend!"
During the meeting Hotovely told Friedman: "Israel expects the transfer of the embassy to Jerusalem and the fulfillment of Trump's presidential promise. The people of Israel are united in their desire to see all embassies in the capital of Israel and our best friend in the world should begin the process of restoring the embassies to their natural place."
She stressed that "There is no better time than this, during the year in which we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the city's reunification."
She also addressed the peace process to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict. "New political thinking is required after the years of impasse that has always resulted from the rejectionism of the Palestinians ... A Palestinian state is a danger to Israel and to the stability of the entire region, since it would fall into the hands of Hamas and become a second Gaza."
"Right now it is better to focus on regional economic development and on the struggle against radical Islamic elements," she concluded.