Israel’s Netanyahu to meet with Trump at White House next week

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit the White House next week, marking the first time a foreign leader will meet with President Donald Trump in Washington D.C. since Trump's return to office. The Israeli government confirmed on Tuesday that Trump had invited Netanyahu to visit the White House on February 4th.

This comes days after Trump called for residents of the Gaza Strip to relocate to Jordan and Egypt, a proposal that was swiftly rejected by regional leaders who likened it to ethnic cleansing. Despite this, Trump claims to have brokered the fragile ceasefire in Gaza that went into effect the day before he took office. This agreement has temporarily ended fighting and facilitated the release of seven Israeli captives and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, while also allowing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to return to their homes in northern Gaza.

The Trump administration also facilitated the extension of the Lebanese ceasefire agreement, effectively pushing the deadline for a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon from its original date of Monday to February 18th. However, tensions remain high in the region, with both Gaza and Lebanon facing the risk of renewed fighting, and Netanyahu frequently threatening a return to war. Despite highlighting his role in securing the Gaza ceasefire, Trump stated last week that he has "no confidence" that the agreement will hold. "That’s not our war; that’s their war," the U.S. president told reporters.

The United States provides billions of dollars in military aid to Israel annually. In his first executive orders, Trump froze nearly all international aid, with the exception of military aid to Egypt and Israel. Last week, Trump also authorized the shipment of 900 kilograms (2,000 pounds) of bombs to Israel, which had been suspended by his predecessor, U.S. President Joe Biden, last May. Netanyahu, who is subject to an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes in Gaza, expressed his gratitude for the decision on Sunday. "Thank you, President Trump, for keeping your promise to provide Israel with the tools it needs to defend itself, against our common enemies, and to secure a future of peace and prosperity," the Israeli Prime Minister posted on social media.

Trump has been a staunch supporter of Israel. During his first term, he moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and recognized Israel’s claim to the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. But as a candidate and in his inaugural address last week, Trump pledged to pursue peace in U.S. foreign policy. “We will measure our success not only by the battles we win, but by the wars we end. And perhaps most importantly, by the wars we never enter into,” he said after being sworn into office. “My proudest legacy will be the role of peace maker and unifier.”