Netanyahu to meet Biden in US, seeks high-profile meeting with Trump
PM’s address to joint session of Congress centerpiece of trip, aimed at securing international support for ongoing war in Gaza, highlighting plight of Israeli hostages and discussing threats from Iran, Hezbollah and Houthis
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to leave on Monday morning for his first visit to Washington since returning to office late in 2022. He is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden, who announced on Sunday that he was withdrawing from the presidential race.
Netanyahu and Biden are scheduled to meet on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, Netanyahu will address a joint session of Congress. He will also meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
Aides to the prime minister have been trying to arrange a meeting with former president Donald Trump but have not yet succeeded. They remain hopeful that a meeting can be scheduled during Netanyahu’s visit.
Netanyahu may also travel to New York or Florida, where his eldest son has been residing for the past several months. The prime minister might extend his visit to spend the weekend with Yair and celebrate his birthday on Friday.
The speech in Congress is the focal point of Netanyahu’s trip, aimed at gaining international legitimacy for the continuation of the war. Part of his address will focus on the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza and on the acts of heroism during the Hamas attack.
Netanyahu will highlight the special relationship between Israel and the United States and thank President Biden for his steadfast support, including the military aid provided since the war began. He will also address the threat of a nuclear Iran, the dangers from Hezbollah in the north, and the threat from Houthi rebels in Yemen following Friday’s drone attack on Tel Aviv.
Additionally, Netanyahu will discuss an advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice in The Hague on Friday, which stated that Israel was in violation of international law due to its prolonged “occupation” of Palestinian territories in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Netanyahu is expected to talk about the ongoing negotiations for the release of hostages. On Sunday, he gave the green light for Israel’s negotiation team to travel to Qatar to resume talks. Families of the hostages have urged him not to leave for Washington before an agreement is reached.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant expressed satisfaction that the delegation was given the go-ahead to resume negotiations, stating that the fate of the hostages hinges on reaching an agreement in the coming weeks.
An official noted that the delegation needs to finalize details of the agreement, with most aspects already agreed upon. A source involved in the process mentioned, “We are on the finish line before a deal. We can finalize the deal if there is an agreement on Rafah and the return of residents to the northern part of the Gaza Strip. The Mossad chief will head to Doha, and there is a real chance that a deal will be finalized.”
