As expected, and hoped, US President Donald Trump did not join the rest of the international community in condemning Israel's settlement enterprise.

But he did signal that the Jewish state should be more subtle in executing its long-term vision for this land.

Typically, and inexplicably, Israel publicly announces every time it is about to embark on a major settlement building campaign.

In remarks to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's chief of staff, unnamed Trump Administration officials reportedly urged Israel to be less "piggish" in its settlement building.

“It’s okay to be a pig but not to be a hazer,” Netanyahu said, relaying a message he said his chief of staff was given and using the Yiddish word for pig.