Netanyahu to meet Trump at White House, Israeli PM office announces
Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, stands with US president, Donald Trump, at the White House in 2020. Photograph: Tom Brenner/Reuters
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit Washington next week for a meeting with US President Donald Trump. This will be the first foreign leader to visit the White House in Trump’s second term.
Netanyahu’s office confirmed the meeting for February 4, though a White House official stated the exact date and time were yet to be finalized, according to CBS News.
Speaking to reporters, Trump hinted that Netanyahu would be visiting “very soon” but did not specify the exact schedule.
He also took credit for brokering the ceasefire and hostage release deal, calling it an “epic” achievement made possible by his November election victory.
The meeting follows Trump’s controversial proposal last week for Egypt and Jordan to accept Palestinians from Gaza, calling the region a “demolition site.”
The suggestion faced strong opposition from Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, and Egypt, though hardline members of Netanyahu’s government have long supported such relocation efforts.
The January ceasefire deal temporarily halted the war, which began after Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, resulting in 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages being taken to Gaza.
In response, Israel launched a military offensive that has so far killed more than 47,350 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
