US President Donald Trump on Sunday described achieving peace in the Middle East as a far more difficult challenge than resolving the ongoing US government shutdown, which he said has become “almost customary.” Asked by reporters, “What’s harder, Peace in the Middle east or ending a government shutdown?” Trump replied, “Well, I think the hardest is this. This has been going on for 3,000 years. The shutdown has only been for 10 days. So I think the shutdown, it’s gotten to be almost customary, but we’re taking care of it.” Trump added that the military had been fully funded and said his administration was ending programs he described as unnecessary, noting, “They happen to be Democrat-sponsored programs, but we’re ending some programs that we never want. And we’re probably not going to allow him to come back.” He also blamed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for the impasse, calling it a “Schumer shutdown” and accusing him of trying to regain political relevance. “I think they made a mistake. I think they made a big mistake,” Trump said. The remarks come amid a partial government shutdown, effective since October 1, affecting certain federal agencies and services, with negotiations between the White House and congressional Democrats ongoing. As for Gaza, Trump on Sunday departed for a visit to Israel and Egypt, calling the trip a “very special” moment as he hailed a ceasefire and hostage release deal that he said had brought the Gaza war to an end.“This is going to be a very special time,” Trump told reporters before boarding air force one at joint base Andrews. “Everybody’s very excited about this moment in time.” Asked whether he was confident the conflict between Israel and Hamas was over, Trump replied, “The war is over. Okay? You understand that?”The US president is set to attend a joint ceremony in Israel and Egypt marking the ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages, calling it a “historic” moment for Middle East peace efforts. He will also co-chair the Gaza peace summit alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
