Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed Sunday for Florida to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, with talks expected to center on the future of the Gaza Strip and ongoing threats posed by Hezbollah and Iran.
Meeting with President Trump
Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump, the fifth since Trump took office for his second term in January, is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. local time (10:30 p.m. Israel time) on Monday at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. In a departure from standard protocol, Netanyahu did not make a statement or include reporters on his flight.
Gaza Ceasefire and International Involvement
The U.S. is seeking to advance the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, which would involve establishing a Palestinian technocratic government for the Strip overseen by a Trump-led Board of Peace, and the deployment of an International Stabilization Force as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) withdraws. Neither Israel nor Hamas has formally agreed to the second phase, with each accusing the other of violating the terms of the initial agreement. Hamas has not yet returned the body of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, while Israel has not fully opened the Rafah Crossing for two-way movement, permitting only departures from the Strip.
Concerns Regarding Iran and Hezbollah
Discussions are also anticipated to address Iran, with Israel reportedly growing increasingly concerned about the Islamic Republic’s rebuilding and potential expansion of its ballistic missile production following a 12-day conflict in June. Additionally, the situation with Hezbollah is expected to be a key topic, as Israel has threatened to resume hostilities if the Lebanese government does not meet a U.S.-imposed New Year’s deadline for the terror group’s disarmament.
Netanyahu’s trip is scheduled to conclude on Thursday, with a return flight to Israel planned for Thursday afternoon and arrival early Friday afternoon. His public schedule remains limited. Prior to the summit with Trump, Netanyahu will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He has no publicly scheduled events for Tuesday, and on Wednesday, he will meet with Evangelical leaders and participate in an event with lawmakers, Jewish community leaders, and students at the Bal Harbour synagogue in Miami.
According to the Associated Press, Trump is expected to spend much of the week on the golf course.
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