Netanyahu in Washington to meet Trump for the first time since the start of their countries' war on Iran
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Washington, where he is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, marking their first meeting since the start of the war that the two countries launched together against Iran, a conflict that has been marked by tensions in their bilateral relationship.
Relations between the two men hit their lowest point in April during negotiations over a ceasefire that was later announced between the United States and Iran but completely collapsed on July 7 with the resumption of hostilities between Iran and the United States, while Israel remains largely on the sidelines.
The war with Iran is expected to dominate the agenda of the meeting, as Washington reiterates its desire to give the diplomatic track with the Islamic Republic a chance.
This will be the eighth meeting between Netanyahu and Trump since the latter returned to the White House last year for a second term.
Before departing Israel on Monday, Netanyahu said his meeting with Trump was “a great honor, but also a great responsibility.”
He added, “We will discuss all issues on the agenda, with Iran at the forefront. Naturally, our goal is to preserve our security, as well as to expand the circle of peace around us.”
Upon arriving in Washington, Netanyahu attended a memorial dinner on Monday evening honoring the late Senator Lindsey Graham, who died on July 11, according to the prime minister’s office. He is scheduled to attend Graham’s funeral later on Tuesday.
During a period of tension, Trump sharply criticized his Israeli ally. In a media interview, he described him as “a very difficult man,” because Israeli forces continued to bomb Lebanon heavily while Washington was leading negotiations with Tehran to halt the war, thereby obstructing those talks.
Trump had previously admitted that he had used harsh and profane language during a phone call with Netanyahu.
Netanyahu had downplayed the significance of those disagreements, characterizing them as “differences in approach” and affirming that both sides agreed on the war’s objectives.
The meeting is also expected to address the implementation of the framework agreement brokered by the United States and signed by Israel and Lebanon last month, whose execution on the ground continues to face difficulties.
The war in Lebanon erupted after Hezbollah launched a barrage of missiles at Israel in solidarity with Iran. Israeli military operations ceased following the signing of the framework, but Israel still occupies large areas of southern Lebanon.
Nearly three years after the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas, the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories remains dire, while the Israeli army continues to carry out strikes it says target militants.
According to Yonatan Freiman, an expert in international relations at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the main objective of the visit is to refute reports suggesting a cooling in relations between the allies.
He told Agence France-Presse, “I believe the core issue is to show the world, Iran, Lebanon, and others, that there is no rupture or fundamental disagreement between the United States and Israel.”
Trump is also likely to focus primarily on his two regional priorities: Iran and expanding the “Abraham Accords,” i.e., normalization agreements with Israel, rather than concentrating on the Palestinian issue, which he views as lower priority.
Netanyahu’s visit also comes months before Israel’s legislative elections, in which he is seeking to win a new term.
Recent polls indicate a decline in Netanyahu’s popularity, amid ongoing public anger over his government’s failure to prevent the unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which ignited the war in Gaza.
