For Mr Netanyahu, in particular, it could affect how long he remains in power.
On the eve of his conversation with Mr Trump, Mr Netanyahu met Steve Witkoff, a New York real-estate investor and Mr Trump’s Middle East envoy.
He embarked on his mission even before Mr Trump took office, working closely with envoys of the previous administration.
For now, Mr Trump seems to prefer the idea of making some kind of deal with the clerics in Tehran.
Mr Netanyahu may soon find that the second Trump term is a lot less comfortable for him than the first one.
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu claimed that Donald Trump and his administration’s policies were so similar that “I think we quote each other” when Trump visited Israel in 2017 during his first term as president. It is unclear whether they still speak the same language when Mr. Netanyahu shows up in Washington for their first meeting since Mr. Trump’s return to the White House eight years later.
Mr. Trump will meet with a foreign leader for the first time on February 4th, excluding those who were present at his inauguration. The Israelis portray this as evidence of the two allies’ close relationship. Above all, however, it indicates the pressing nature of the topics the two will address and the gaps they must fill. It may have an impact on Mr. Netanyahu’s tenure in office in particular.
One possible point of contention is how to put an end to the conflict in Gaza. Steve Witkoff, Mr. Trump’s Middle East envoy and a real estate investor from New York, met Mr. Netanyahu the night before his meeting with Mr. Trump. Day 16 of the 42-day initial phase of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which involves exchanging Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages, was observed. Additionally, it was the day that negotiations on the next phases of the ceasefire were supposed to begin. Israel is getting ready to send a team to Doha for these talks. A permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza are key components of the negotiations, along with additional swaps.
Most members of the Israeli cabinet, including the prime minister, oppose ending the war. They claim Israel can still completely destroy Hamas and its governing and military capabilities after bombarding Gaza for almost 16 months.
Mr. Witkoff, a newbie to diplomacy, is also Mr. Trump’s golf partner. He started his mission prior to Mr. Trump’s inauguration, collaborating closely with former administration envoys. Setting up meetings through his New York office, he takes his own private jet to the area. The president is the only person he reports to in Washington.
After eight months of unsuccessful diplomacy, his unconventional tactics are credited with securing the ceasefire agreement on January 15. The relatives of the hostages applaud him and exhort him to continue pursuing the agreement. Mr. Netanyahu is attempting to slow him down, though. In an attempt to convince him that Hamas must be defeated, his aides took Mr. Witkoff to smuggling tunnels beneath Gaza’s border with Egypt and played a graphic video of the horrors committed by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, surprise attack.
Another difficult question is how to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Although it would take at least another year to develop the warheads to fit on missiles, Iran could produce enough highly enriched uranium for a few nuclear bombs in a matter of weeks should it decide to “break out.”. Israel is keen to get American support for a potential attack on Iran’s nuclear program. For the time being, it appears that Mr. Trump would rather strike a deal with the Tehrani clerics.
One topic that appears to excite both leaders the most is the possibility of a new regional alliance between Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the United States. For Mr. Trump, this is the pinnacle of his deal-making success. Additionally, Mr. Netanyahu believes that a “normalization” agreement with the most potent Arab state would solidify Israel’s position in the Middle East and be a momentous occasion. But he is willing to pay the price the Saudis are asking for: a quick and long-lasting halt to hostilities in Gaza and a route to Palestinian statehood. Not only would this contradict Mr. Netanyahu’s view of Israel’s strategic objectives, but it would also most likely spell the demise of his present ultra-nationalist party coalition.
The administration of President Trump has a strong pro-Israel stance. The president has removed sanctions against West Bank settlers and limitations on arms transfers to Israel that were in place during the Biden administration. His ideas about relocating Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt and Jordan have delighted hard-right Israeli organizations.
However, it is possible that Mr. Trump will not tolerate his guest’s domestic issues. In addition, he has stated his desire for a normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel and the cessation of the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Mr. Witkoff demonstrated his willingness to exert pressure on Mr. Netanyahu in order to negotiate the ceasefire.
Additionally, Mr. Trump harbors personal grievances. He was upset with Mr. Netanyahu for congratulating Joe Biden on winning the 2020 election and the Israeli prime minister’s hesitation to join the United States in the assassination of Qassem Suleimani, an Iranian general in charge of the Islamic republic’s foreign policy, during his four years out of office.
The Israeli leader has resisted pressure from Democratic presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden by relying on his large base of Republican supporters. However, it would be reckless of him to attempt to use the Republican Party against Mr. Trump. It hasn’t resisted his attacks on European allies, his trade war with Canada, China, and Mexico, or his dismantling of federal institutions.
Furthermore, it appears that some significant Republican donors are abandoning Mr. Netanyahu. Israeli-American billionaire Miriam Adelson, who was once close to Mr. Netanyahu but is now at odds with him, was one of the prominent attendees of the inauguration. According to many in Israeli politics, she intends to back a right-wing opponent to his lengthy reign.
The second Trump term may soon prove to be much less comfortable for Mr. Netanyahu than the first. “■.”.