Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump would possibly look to take a victory lap on Monday after their latest joint strikes on Iran, hailed by each as an unmitigated success.
However as they meet on the White Home for the third time this 12 months, the outwardly triumphant go to will probably be dogged by Israel’s 21-month warfare towards Hamas in Gaza and questions over how laborious Trump will push for an finish to the battle.
Trump has made clear that following final month’s 12-day warfare between Israel and Iran he want to see the Gaza battle finish quickly. The assembly between Trump and Netanyahu may give new urgency to a U.S. ceasefire proposal being mentioned by Israel and Hamas, however whether or not it results in a deal that ends the warfare is unclear.
FILE – Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is greeted by President Donald Trump on the West Wing of the White Home in Washington, April 7, 2025, in Washington.
AP Photograph/Mark Schiefelbein, File
“The utmost precedence for the president proper now within the Center East is to finish the warfare in Gaza and to return the entire hostages,” White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt informed reporters forward of the leaders’ non-public dinner.
Earlier than departing for Washington on Sunday, Netanyahu praised the cooperation with the U.S. for bringing a “enormous victory over our shared enemy.” He struck a optimistic notice on a ceasefire for Gaza, saying he was working “to realize the deal beneath dialogue, on the phrases we agreed to.”
The prime minister met on Monday with particular envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier than his dinner with Trump. Netanyahu is slated to fulfill Tuesday with Republican Home Speaker Mike Johnson.
“I believe that the dialogue with President Trump can definitely assist advance that outcome, which all of us hope for,” Netanyahu stated.
‘It modifications from everyday’
White Home officers are urging Israel and Hamas to shortly seal a brand new ceasefire settlement that may convey a few 60-day pause within the preventing, ship help flooding into Gaza and free at the very least a number of the remaining 50 hostages held within the territory, 20 of whom are believed to be dwelling.
Leavitt introduced on Monday that Witkoff will journey later this week to Doha, Qatar, for ceasefire and hostage talks.
However a sticking level is whether or not the ceasefire will finish the warfare altogether. Hamas has stated it’s keen to free all of the hostages in trade for an finish to the warfare and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Netanyahu says the warfare will finish as soon as Hamas surrenders, disarms and goes into exile – one thing it refuses to do.
Demonstrators, together with hostage relations, gathered exterior the U.S. Capitol earlier than the leaders’ assembly to press for the discharge of all remaining hostages in any settlement.
“We can not settle for a deal for a partial launch,” stated Ilan Dalal, father of Man Gilboa-Dalal. “A partial deal would imply that a number of the hostages will keep within the tunnels for extra time and this might be a demise sentence.”
Trump has been pressuring Israel and Hamas to wrap up the battle, which has killed greater than 57,000 Palestinians, ravaged Gaza, deepened Israel’s worldwide isolation and made any decision to the broader battle between Israel and the Palestinians extra distant than ever.
However the exact particulars of the deal, and whether or not it could result in an finish to the warfare, are nonetheless in flux. Within the days earlier than Netanyahu’s go to, Trump appeared to downplay the probabilities for a breakthrough.
Requested on Friday how assured he was a ceasefire deal would come collectively, Trump informed reporters: “I am very optimistic – however you already know, look, it modifications from everyday.”
On Sunday night, he appeared to slender his expectation, telling reporters that he thought an settlement associated to the remaining hostages could be reached within the coming week.
Trump and Netanyahu are extra in sync than ever
These temper swings even have embodied Trump’s relationship with Netanyahu.
After Trump’s choice to get entangled in Israel’s warfare in Iran with strikes on Iranian nuclear websites, the 2 leaders are extra in sync than ever. However that is not at all times been the case.
As just lately as Netanyahu’s final go to to Washington in April, the tone was markedly totally different.
Trump used the photo-op with Netanyahu to announce that the U.S. was coming into into negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program – showing to catch the Israeli chief off guard and, on the time, slamming the brakes on any Israeli navy plan.
Trump, whose insurance policies have largely aligned with Israel’s personal priorities, pledged final week to be “very agency” with Netanyahu on ending the warfare, with out saying what that may entail. Stress by Trump has labored on Netanyahu previously, with a ceasefire deal having been reached proper because the president was taking workplace once more.
Netanyahu has to stability the calls for of his American ally with the far-right events in his governing coalition, which maintain the important thing to his political survival and oppose ending the warfare.
However given the sturdy U.S. assist in Israel’s warfare towards Iran, highlighted by joint airstrikes on a fortified underground Iranian nuclear web site, Netanyahu might have a tricky time saying no.
Trump additionally might count on one thing in return for his latest requires Netanyahu’s corruption trial to be canceled – a big interference within the home affairs of a sovereign state.
“Trump thinks that Netanyahu owes him,” stated Eytan Gilboa, an skilled on U.S.-Israel affairs at Bar-Ilan College close to Tel Aviv. “And if Trump thinks that he wants to finish the warfare In Gaza, then that’s what he might want to do.”
Leaders to debate preserving Iran from making an attempt to revive its nuclear program
The 2 males are anticipated to debate the ceasefire with Iran following final month’s strikes on three key Iranian nuclear websites, Leavitt stated.
Trump on Sunday informed reporters he continues to search for a “everlasting deal” with Tehran to make sure Iran would not attempt to restart its nuclear program.
Trump administration officers keep that Iran’s nuclear program has been set again by years. They level particularly to intelligence findings that present the strikes destroyed Iran’s lone steel conversion facility.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian in an interview printed Monday stated the U.S. airstrikes so badly broken his nation’s nuclear amenities that Iranian authorities nonetheless haven’t been capable of entry them to survey the destruction.
Pezeshkian added within the interview with conservative American broadcaster Tucker Carlson that Iran could be keen to renew cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog however can not but decide to permitting its inspectors unfettered entry to watch the websites.
“We stand able to have such supervision,” Pezeshkian stated. “Sadly, because of the USA’ illegal assaults towards our nuclear facilities and installations, lots of the items of apparatus and the amenities there have been severely broken.”
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Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Related Press writers Ellen Knickmeyer, Matthew Lee, Lisa Mascaro and Aamer Madhani contributed reporting.
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