JERUSALEM – The United States and Israel must stand together to fight against terror groups and their sponsors like the Islamic State and Iran, President Donald Trump told Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Monday.
“This moment in history calls for us to strengthen cooperation as both Israel and America face common threats from ISIS and other terrorist groups, to countries like Iran that sponsor terrorism and fund and foment terrible violence, not only here but all over the world,” Trump said at a welcoming ceremony at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem.
“Together we can work to end the scourge of violence that has taken so many lives here in Israel and around the world.”
“Iran must never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon. Ever. And [it] must cease its deadly funding, training and equipping of terrorists and militias,” he added.
Earlier, Rivlin told Trump that Iran posed a threat to the Jewish state both within its borders and outside of them.
“We need to be sure that Iran is out of our borders, out of Syria and out of Lebanon,” Rivlin said.
Trump thanked Rivlin for inviting him and his wife Melania to his home.
“I’m honored to be in the great State of Israel, homeland of the Jewish people, I’m awed by the beauty and majesty of this sacred and very holy land,” he said.
“Thank you for opening your wonderful home and welcoming Melania and myself to your amazing country, and that’s what it is, it is an amazing country. What you’ve done … has virtually never been done before,” Trump added.