JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed for Washington on Monday for talks with US President Donald Trump, marking their first in-person meeting since the escalation of the Iran conflict.
The visit will be Netanyahu’s eighth meeting with Trump since the US president returned to office and their first since February, shortly before Israel and the United States launched coordinated air strikes against Iran.
“In these complex times, you need to act with both great determination and great wisdom. We will discuss all the issues on the agenda, primarily Iran. Of course, our goal is to protect our security and also to expand the circle of peace around us,” Netanyahu said in a video statement before leaving for Washington.
Israel did not participate in the two-week US bombing campaign against Iran earlier this month, which prompted Tehran to retaliate by targeting American military bases. Trump later suspended the operation over the weekend, while Iran announced it would halt its attacks as long as the US pause remains in place. Israel, however, has warned that any future Iranian attack would be met with a strong response.
Although Netanyahu and Trump have generally maintained close ties, the Israeli leader recently acknowledged differences between them as their countries’ regional priorities have occasionally diverged.
Tensions between the two leaders became more visible after details of a contentious phone call last month were leaked to the media and later confirmed publicly by Trump.
In what appeared to be a move aligned with Trump’s regional peace efforts, Israel announced on Sunday that it would permit a multinational security force to enter Gaza under a proposal included in the US peace initiative.
Earlier, on July 21, Israel said it had repositioned part of its military presence in southern Lebanon in line with US-supported understandings reached with Lebanese authorities.
The Washington meeting could also provide a political boost for Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s October 27 general election, as he faces declining support in opinion polls. The visit comes at a time when public backing for Israel in the United States has also been weakening.
