Archive photo: US President Donald Trump with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump agreed to meet in the United States in the near future after a phone conversation on Friday, according to a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.During the call, Netanyahu congratulated Trump on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and praised the close relationship between the two countries.Netanyahu said, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, “It is the United States that guarantees the freedom of the world, and Israel greatly values the close ties between nations.”The statement added, “Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump agreed to meet soon in the United States.”
No date or location for the meeting was announced.The conversation came after the United States and Israel conducted joint military operations against Iran and amid reports of tensions between the two leaders over efforts to end the conflict.
The meeting comes amid regional diplomacy
The planned meeting also comes as diplomatic efforts continue regarding Iran. Qatar and Pakistan concluded separate meetings with US and Iranian negotiators in Doha on July 1, where “positive progress” was reported on issues related to the 14-point memorandum of understanding.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman said that the parties agreed to continue discussions, with the date of the next round of talks being set after the funeral ceremony for the former Iranian Supreme Leader.
Israel continues to put pressure Hezbollah
This announcement comes after Israel’s recent insistence that it will continue its military operations against Hezbollah despite the ceasefire framework with Lebanon.Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharyn Haskel said the Iran-backed group still poses a direct security threat.“If Hezbollah continues to attack Israel, we will continue to defend our people, our communities, and our forces,” Haskell said.She added: “There is nothing we want to see more than the departure of this Iranian terrorist army from Lebanon… and there is nothing that the Lebanese government wants to see more than the departure and disarmament of this terrorist organization.”
Netanyahu calls for an end American aid
Earlier this week, Netanyahu also announced that Israel must begin ending its dependence on US financial aid.The Israeli Prime Minister said: “I want to stop American aid. It is like welfare, and I do not want it.”He said the Israeli economy had grown strongly enough to finance its own needs, saying: “Our economy is no longer a small economy… We can finance ourselves with this portion of the GDP that we receive from the United States. I want this process to begin this year.”
