Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in the United States for meetings with President Donald Trump and other members of his administration to discuss the ceasefire agreement of Gaza and his Middle East plans .
On Sunday, on his arrival at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, Netanyahu received a reception from red carpet from senior Israeli officials and an honor guard wearing Israeli flags and flags.
So, who does it meet, what is going on on the agenda and why is this visit important?
When does Trump meet and others?
The Israeli Prime Minister is expected to meet Steve Witkoff, Washington for the Middle East on Monday on Monday. Witkoff was widely credited – including by other mediators such as Qatar – for helping to negotiate the Gaza cease -fire agreement which entered into force in January.
A day later, a meeting was scheduled for the White House in the afternoon, where Netanyahu and Trump will sit together.
Netanyahu should have a meeting with American military leaders at the Pentagon on Wednesday, followed on Thursday meetings with members of the Congress.
How is timing significant?
His visit coincides with the expected talks involving Israel, Hamas and the mediating nations towards the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
The Israeli Prime Minister said on several occasions that he was aimed at returning the fighting soon, while expressing his intention to maintain the Israeli military occupation of parts of Syria and Lebanon.
After one of his far -right ministers left the government, Netanyahu undergoes political pressure to ensure that his coalition can demonstrate military superiority in the region, in particular by pursuing extended military attacks.
Witkoff, the American envoy of the region, is expected to continue discussions with the mediators of Qatar and Egypt after having discussed with Netanyahu in Washington, DC.
Visit about two weeks after the inauguration of Trump, Netanyahu became the first foreign dignitary to be invited to the White House during an official visit.
Meetings also take place at a time of global concern about Trump’s announced prices against Canada, Mexico and China, which should be imposed on Tuesday.
While the United States’s best trade partners have announced their reprisal measures, the American president also threatened the European Union with prices. The block of 27 members warned that it would retaliate if it is targeted.
What is Netanyahu on?
Before leaving for the United States, Netanyahu said that he would focus on the objectives set by Israel for the Gaza War during its meetings.
These include the total victory over Hamas and the release of all the captives held in Gaza, the Israeli leader also emphasized the “dealing with the Iranian terrorist axis in all its components” in reference to “the ‘ Resistance axis ”directed by Tehran.
Meanwhile, Hamas seems to have quickly reaffirmed control over Gaza, stressing that it will not release more captives during the second phase if the Israeli part does not honor its commitments by ending its military occupation of the ‘enclave.
Netanyahu said that the decisions taken by Israel and the United States during the war had already changed the face of the Middle East, and that it intends to “redraw the card even further and for the best”.
He also plans to normalize the links with the Arab countries of the region despite the devastation of the war and Trump’s plan to “clean” Gaza by putting pressure on Egypt and Jordan to accept hundreds of thousands of Palestinians more moved. The governments of Cairo and Amman both rejected Trump’s proposal.
How did the Netanyahu-Trump relationship evolve?
The two leaders benefited from a strong alliance during Trump’s first term, when he recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moved the United States Embassy there. Trump also recognized Israeli sovereignty on the Golan Heights occupied and negotiated the Abraham agreements – agreements that normalized Israel’s relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
But after the victory of President Joe Biden, Netanyahu quickly congratulated him, unlike many other allies close to Trump who hesitated or echo his statements of unleated electoral fraud.
Trump would have been angry with Netanyahu after that, and the two had not had much contact.
But their relationship gradually rebounded after the return to power of Netanyahu in Israel with a far -right government at the beginning of 2023, despite occasional criticism of Trump of the management of the Gaza War.
Netanyahu said the fact that Trump had invited him first to visit after his inauguration is an “testimony to the strength of the Israeli-American alliance” and “Force of our personal friendship”.
Will there be demonstrations?
Netanyahu met numerous demonstrations during his last visit to Washington, DC last year when the American legislators broke records for the number of permanent ovations they gave him during an address to the congress.
Similar street demonstrations and online expressions of protest and conviction are also expected this time.
Similar to the previous visit of Netanyahu, some Democratic legislators can also choose to jump any speech and meetings or express their criticism of unconditional support from the United States in Israel despite his murder of more than 61,700 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the office of government media in the enclave. Several thousand people have also been killed in Israeli attacks in the West Bank and Lebanon occupied in the past year. Israel also continues to occupy parts of Lebanon and Syria.
