Trump expresses ‘deep sorrow’ over embassy staff killings in call with Netanyahu, discusses Iran deal

US President Donald Trump on Thursday expressed his “deep sorrow” over the killing of two Israeli embassy staffers during a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The two Israeli embassy staffers were shot dead at a Jewish museum in the US capital by a gunman who shouted “free Palestine” as he was arrested, sparking new international tensions over anti-Semitism.

According to a CNN report, citing a statement from Netanyahu’s office, Netanyahu thanked Trump for “the efforts he and his administration are making against manifestations of anti-Semitism in the United States.”

“The president reaffirmed his commitment to uproot the violent antisemitism that has swept across university campuses in this country,” CNN quoted Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter as saying to reporters earlier outside the Capital Jewish Museum.

Confirming the call, the White House said that Trump had a “productive discussion” with Netanyahu about Iran and Washington shooting.

Trump and Netanyahu have increasingly diverged on how to handle Iran’s nuclear programme, with Washington pushing for a diplomatic deal through talks with Tehran, while Israel seems to be prioritising a military approach.

“They discussed many things, including the, of course, the tragic shooting that took place here in Washington, DC last night,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told a briefing.

She said the two leaders also talked about a potential deal with Iran, which the president believes is moving along in the right direction.

Iran and the United States are due to hold a fresh round of talks in Rome on Friday.

Leavitt said Trump believed that “this deal with Iran could end in two ways. It could end in a very positive diplomatic solution, or it could end in a very negative situation for Iran.”

With inputs from agencies