Netanyahu seeks strong backing from Trump, as first foreign leader to visit

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, marking the first meeting with a foreign leader during Trump's second term, at a critical juncture in the Gaza ceasefire. This highly anticipated meeting is seen as a significant milestone in the relationship between the two countries.

Israel's Ambassador to the United States, Yehiel Leiter, stated on X upon arriving in Washington that it was a "historic visit." He added, "The US-Israel friendship is strong and growing stronger." Ambassador Leiter, who assumed office just a week ago, also marks this meeting as an important start to his diplomatic career.

Trump claims that he brokered the initial six-week ceasefire agreement that ended the 15-month war between Israel and Hamas. To date, the agreement has facilitated the release of 13 Israeli and 5 Thai hostages in exchange for the release of 583 Palestinian prisoners. The achievement of the ceasefire agreement has brought a glimmer of hope for easing regional tensions.

However, Netanyahu faces a challenge to his political survival, having stated multiple times that the current Gaza agreement is only a temporary truce, and that Israel reserves the "right to resume fighting Hamas," and that this will have US support. Netanyahu's position indicates that Israel has not abandoned its military operations against Hamas.

One of Netanyahu's far-right allies has already left his governing coalition over what he considers a "reckless" deal. Another ally has threatened to leave if military offensives are not resumed. Should this person leave, the government would lose its majority. This reflects the significant domestic controversy in Israel regarding the ceasefire agreement.

On Monday, Netanyahu will meet with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who was a key mediator in brokering the ceasefire agreement that began on January 19. He worked with Qatar and Egypt to facilitate the truce. This meeting is seen as key preparation for subsequent negotiations on the ceasefire agreement.

If all goes according to plan, a total of 33 hostages held by Hamas and another militant group, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, should be released by March 1 in exchange for approximately 1,900 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. The implementation of the ceasefire agreement will directly affect the direction of the regional situation.

The agreement has already led to a large influx of much-needed humanitarian aid into Palestinian territories, as well as the partial withdrawal of Israeli forces. The implementation of the ceasefire agreement has brought hope for alleviating the humanitarian crisis in Palestine and created opportunities for regional peace.

The sensitive next phase of the ceasefire agreement should achieve a more permanent end to the war and the release of the remaining hostages kidnapped in the deadly Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. In that attack, approximately 251 people were kidnapped and about 1,200 were killed. According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, the subsequent Israeli military offensive has resulted in the deaths of at least 47,400 Palestinians. The attack and subsequent military operations have brought profound suffering to the region.

Netanyahu's office stated that the meeting with Witkoff in Washington marks the official start of negotiations. This meeting is seen as an important start to subsequent negotiations on the ceasefire agreement and also indicates a possible turning point for the regional situation.

The presidential envoy is expected to speak with the Prime Minister of Qatar and Egyptian officials this week, after which it is understood that he and the Israeli leader will discuss sending delegations to further talks regarding the second phase of the ceasefire agreement. These diplomatic efforts aim to promote the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and lay the foundation for regional peace.

Trump has made it clear that he wants to end the war in the Middle East. He stated on Sunday that ceasefire talks were "making progress" and that he plans to have some "important meetings" with Netanyahu. Trump's statement demonstrates the US government's emphasis on and determination towards Middle East peace.

For the Israeli Prime Minister, the meeting is a boost on the world stage after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for him on war crimes charges. Washington does not recognize the court, meaning it has no obligation to detain Netanyahu and has strongly condemned the ICC's actions. The US stance on the ICC reflects its reservations about international judicial bodies.

The two leaders are expected to discuss a range of regional issues, including restoring the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, and how to deal with Iran, which twice directly attacked Israel with missiles and drones last year. These regional issues are complex and sensitive, requiring the two leaders to work together to resolve them.

Trump withdrew from the international agreement aimed at limiting Iran's nuclear program in 2018, and he and Netanyahu have both pledged to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. Iran denies seeking an atomic bomb. The alignment of US and Israeli positions on the Iranian nuclear issue could become a focus of cooperation between the two.

The two are also keen to consolidate the Abraham Accords, which established diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, during Trump's first term. The agreement is seen as an important step in the Middle East peace process.

Riyadh suspended normalization talks with Israel at the start of the Gaza war and has since taken a tougher stance, insisting that the issue is "off the table" until the issue of Palestinian statehood is resolved. Saudi Arabia's change in position reflects the complexity and uncertainty of regional politics.

The Trump administration hopes to establish formal relations between Israel and the most powerful players in the Arab world, which could help stabilize the region and strengthen efforts to counter Iran in cooperation with strategic partners. It could also serve as leverage to extend the Gaza agreement. The US government hopes to promote regional peace and stability through diplomatic means.

On this issue, Anna Barsky wrote in the Israeli newspaper Maariv: "Those who are pushing this idea in the meeting with Trump believe that if the normalization process starts now, it will be a powerful incentive for Israel to extend the ceasefire, so as not to ruin the historic peace talks that have already begun." This view emphasizes the potential role of the normalization process in promoting regional peace.

This week, Netanyahu faces a major challenge in balancing pressures from the United States, Israel's closest ally, and from within his own governing coalition. Netanyahu needs to carefully weigh the interests of all parties to ensure the smooth implementation of policies.

While the idea of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, the so-called "two-state solution," has long been the international formula for Middle East peace, the Israeli Prime Minister and members of his government have been more vehemently opposed to the idea since the October 7 attacks. They believe it would lead to a "terrorist state." The Israeli government's opposition to the two-state solution reflects the complexity and challenges of regional politics.

The existing ceasefire agreement has also been denounced as "reckless" by Israeli hardliners, such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who say that ending the fighting before Hamas is completely defeated in accordance with the war's objectives endangers Israel's security. The domestic controversy in Israel over the ceasefire agreement reflects the deep divisions between different political factions.

With widespread public support in Israel for continuing the ceasefire to release more hostages, other politicians are offering Netanyahu a potential lifeline. The calls within Israel for the release of hostages provide support for Netanyahu's policies.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid, speaking on a visit to Kibbutz Nir Oz, the kibbutz most heavily hit by the Hamas attack near Gaza, said of the talks with Trump: "It is important to make it clear before the meeting: Netanyahu has a political safety net from the opposition to reach an agreement, to enter each stage. There is no political reason to prevent Netanyahu from moving to the next stage." The opposition's statement provides political support for Netanyahu's actions on the ceasefire agreement.

In his previous term, the US President delivered a series of victories for Netanyahu. Trump's support for Israel during his time in office facilitated Netanyahu's governance.

In addition to securing the signing of the Abraham Accords, he notably moved the US embassy to Jerusalem (a move condemned by Palestinians and others) and recognized Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, which is internationally considered Syrian territory. The Trump administration's policies have had a profound impact on the situation in the Middle East.

The new Trump administration includes pro-Israel figures who are expected to push back against pressure from other world powers over the Gaza war and support the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. These settlements are considered illegal under international law, although Israel disagrees. The new government's policies could lead to a further escalation of regional tensions.

US policy has already seen a marked shift from the Biden administration. Trump has lifted sanctions on Israeli settlers accused of violence against Palestinians and has reportedly approved a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs that had previously been blocked. The shift in US policy reflects the new government's different stance on Middle East issues.

However, the personal relationship between Trump and Netanyahu has been up and down, and Israeli media has widely speculated about how the upcoming meeting between the two will unfold. The complexity of their relationship adds uncertainty to this meeting.

Nahum Barnea, a commentator for the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, wrote, "Netanyahu will try to figure out the new Trump and understand what motivates him, what offends him, and what angers him." Barnea's comments reveal the potential challenges of Netanyahu's meeting.

The prominent Israeli journalist warned Netanyahu in strong terms that when he does so: "He'd better remember an old American saying: 'Don't con a con man.' Trump is at the peak of his life, at his strongest, at his most excited. His ambitions are huge, his gratification is immediate, and his patience is thin. You have been officially warned." Barnea's warning emphasizes the need for Netanyahu to exercise caution when meeting with Trump.