Trump confirms White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister next week
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has requested a meeting at the White House, and the visit is likely to take place next week after Trump returns from the NATO summit.In a brief phone conversation with Axios, Trump emphasized his relationship with the Israeli leader and said: “We get along very well. [Netanyahu] He knows who’s boss,” he said, referring to himself.
The proposed meeting would be the first between the two leaders since their high-level meeting in the Situation Room in February, during which Netanyahu presented plans for a joint military campaign against Iran.However, an Israeli official indicated that next week may be too early due to Trump’s visit to Turkey for the NATO summit on July 7-8.“This may happen the following week,” the official said.This development comes a day after Netanyahu and Trump held a phone conversation, during which the Israeli leader congratulated the American president ahead of the 250th American Independence Day celebrations.According to Netanyahu’s office, the Israeli prime minister described the United States as a “guarantor of universal freedom” and said that Israel greatly values the close relationship between the two countries.
The statement added that Netanyahu and Trump agreed to meet soon in the United States, although no official date has been announced.The expected meeting comes at a time when reports indicate disagreements have emerged between the two leaders over regional issues, including Iranian and Israeli military operations in Lebanon.Last month, Trump signed a memorandum of understanding to extend the ceasefire with Iran and reopen nuclear talks despite reservations reportedly expressed by Netanyahu.
Trump also urged Israel to limit its operations in Lebanon as negotiations with Iran continue.According to Axios, some of Trump’s advisers have become increasingly critical of Netanyahu in recent months, with one US official claiming that many of the president’s closest advisers believed the Israeli prime minister was “wrong about everything.”Trump also confirmed that he is closely following the funeral ceremony for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint US-Israeli military operation earlier this year.Speaking about negotiations with Tehran, Trump said that Iran is keen to reach an agreement.“They are begging for an agreement,” Trump said, adding that the two sides agreed to temporarily stop negotiations until the funeral ceremony concluded.He also said that neither side would engage in military action during the armistice period.“They’re all there. One shot [and we can take them all out]“But we will not do that because then we will have no one to negotiate with,” Trump said.Commenting on the funeral crowds, Trump added that he was surprised to see the mourners mourning Khamenei.“Maybe they are fake tears,” he noted.The White House meeting will be politically important for Netanyahu as he prepares for Israel’s general elections scheduled for October, in which recent opinion polls have shown him trailing his rivals.
