President Barack Obama on Wednesday said President-elect Donald Trump deserves space to pursue his agenda, while also suggesting his successor tread carefully on such volatile issues as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Mr. Obama, in the final scheduled press conference of his presidency, said it was appropriate for President-elect Donald Trump and his team “to go forward with his vision and his values.” But he said the White House has warned the Trump transition team that a planned move of the US Embassy in Israel could increase volatility in the Middle East.
Mr. Trump’s team has said moving the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv is a priority, describing a step that would represent a major reversal of longstanding U.S. policy. Both Israel and the Palestinians have claims to the contested city.
“Part of what we’ve tried to indicate to the incoming team in our transition process, is pay attention to this because this is volatile stuff. People feel deeply and passionately about this,” Mr. Obama said. “The actions that we take have enormous consequences and ramifications. … You don’t want to do things off the cuff when it comes to an issue this volatile.”
Read the full article by Carol E. Lee of the Wall Street Journal at The Australian.