Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu landed overnight monday in Washington to attend the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham. In addition to the funeral, Netanyahu will meet with Donald Trump—as the American military campaign against Iran is in the midst of escalation. Our correspondent Tamir Morag reports from Washington on the key issues on the agenda and the tensions surrounding the visit.
2+Morag noted that the prime minister’s arrival was accompanied by unusual measures: “Netanyahu landed overnight in Washington when, in an unprecedented move, the ‘Wing of Zion’ aircraft took off from the Nevatim Air Force Base in the Negev.” According to him, Netanyahu’s circle explained the move for security reasons, and that the delegation maintained secrecy and did not publish the takeoff time. “It can be assumed that these security reasons are related to tensions with Iran,” Morag added.
At the center of the White House meeting will be the Iranian issue. Morag explained that although Israel would like to see the U.S. resume fighting at full intensity against Iran, Netanyahu is exercising extreme caution: “Netanyahu is walking on eggshells here, he very much does not want to appear as someone dragging President Trump into a war that is unpopular with American public opinion.” According to Morag, the political echelon and security establishment believe that the most important element is continuing the naval blockade and economic pressure policy, and not necessarily resuming the bombings.
2+Another issue that will come up in the meeting is the future of the Gaza Strip. Morag reported that the prime minister is expected to ask the president to declare Hamas as violating the agreements, since the organization “refuses to disarm” for many months, contrary to its written commitments.
Morag added that President Trump is pressuring Netanyahu and the Syrian president to reach a limited security arrangement, but the gaps are very large. “Israel’s maximum is too far from Syria’s minimum,” Morag noted. According to him, Syria demands a full withdrawal from the Golan Heights in exchange for peace, or evacuation of territories east of the plateau including Mount Hermon in exchange for a limited arrangement—demands that Jerusalem “rejects outright.”
2+Morag also addressed the issue of selling F-35 aircraft to Turkey: “This week it seems this deal is moving a bit further away, and still it hasn’t been taken off the table.” According to him, Trump is interested in the deal because of the economic profit and also because of “the not-so-explainable but very prominent affection he has for Erdogan.”
The meeting between Netanyahu and Trump will be held today at the White House at 11:00 a.m. (Washington time), and afterward the two will go to the lying-in-state ceremony for the late Senator Lindsey Graham. Morag updated that Netanyahu is also seeking to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whom he described as “Israel’s greatest friend in the administration,” and with Vice President J.D. Vance, to “clarify” various issues. The prime minister is expected to take off back to Israel tomorrow evening.