JERUSALEM, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Israeli officials signaled skepticism on Tuesday about the prospects of a diplomatic breakthrough in the region, as U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, arrived for talks, amid international efforts to resume diplomacy on Iran's nuclear program.
Witkoff arrived in Israel on Tuesday for meetings ahead of a planned encounter in the region later this week with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi.
The meeting in Jerusalem included Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, officials told Xinhua.
After the meeting, Netanyahu's office said in a statement that Israel's position was that Iran "has repeatedly demonstrated it cannot be trusted to keep its promises."
Senior Israeli officials have told public broadcaster Kan TV news that Israel sought assurances from the United States for "operational freedom of action" against Iran, in case Iran would retaliate following a possible U.S. attack.
The report said that Israel has also demanded a halt to Iran's production of ballistic missiles that it says pose a direct threat, as well as an end to uranium enrichment.
The meeting also addressed Gaza, with Netanyahu reiterating what his office described as an "uncompromising demand" for Hamas to be disarmed and for the Gaza Strip to be demilitarized before any rehabilitation takes place. He also stressed that Israel opposes any role for the Palestinian Authority in administering Gaza, the statement said.
The talks came as international mediators seek to move ahead with a second phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, which would include the reconstruction of the Palestinian enclave after more than two years of war. Enditem
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