Israeli minister: Trump pressure on settlements disappoints

JERUSALEM – A senior Israeli Cabinet minister is expressing some disappointment with the White House, saying the election of Donald Trump has not brought about the boom in West Bank settlement construction many had expected.

Naftali Bennett, leader of the pro-settler Jewish Home party, says the settler movement expected a building boom after Trump’s election. Many members of the president’s inner circle, including his son-in-law and chief Mideast envoy Jared Kushner, have close ties to the settler movement.

But Trump has instead urged Israel to restrain construction as he tries to restart peace talks.

“Unfortunately from our perspective, he’s sort of going down the same unsuccessful path that his predecessors did,” Bennett said in an interview Monday. “So yes, there is disappointment out there.”