Four major topics dominated the second meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday evening. This is their second meeting since Trump took office on January 20, 2025.
اضافة اعلان
In addition to the U.S. tariffs imposed on global countries, including Israel, at a rate of 17%, the meeting will also focus on Gaza, Iran, and Syria.
On Sunday evening, Netanyahu, who is wanted by international justice for crimes against humanity in Gaza, arrived in Washington for the meeting, which was organized on short notice between the Israeli prime minister and the U.S. president.
According to the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, Netanyahu is staying at the "Blair House," the American guest house across from the White House.
Netanyahu is expected to stay until Tuesday for a meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance in Washington before returning to Israel on Wednesday to appear before the Tel Aviv Central Court regarding corruption charges, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
Efforts to Remove Tariffs
On April 2, U.S. President Trump announced the imposition of "reciprocal" tariffs on all countries, with rates varying from 10% to higher levels. The decision to impose a 17% tariff on Israeli products has raised concerns in Tel Aviv about the impact on trade between the two countries.
The day before the decision, Tel Aviv canceled all tariffs on U.S. goods, hoping that Trump would refrain from imposing tariffs on Israeli products.
Netanyahu's office issued a statement saying that upon arriving in Washington, Netanyahu met with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Luttig and U.S. Trade Representative Jameson Greer. The meeting was described as "warm and fruitful," though no further details were provided. Netanyahu hopes that Trump will remove the tariffs imposed on Israel.
The President of the Federation of Israeli Industries, Ron Tomer, urgently appealed to Netanyahu on Monday, urging the government to diplomatically work to remove the tariffs on Israeli exports to the U.S. Tomer warned that these tariffs could result in a $2.3 billion annual decline in Israeli exports, with potential losses of up to $3 billion if the tariffs eventually include sectors like pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, which have been temporarily exempted from the decision.
Tomer emphasized that the high-tech sector would be the hardest hit, with potential job losses for between 18,000 and 26,000 workers in Israeli export industries. He also highlighted that global companies operating in Israel could be affected, potentially leading to reduced foreign investments and undermining the expansion plans of Israeli startups.
Gaza: Pressure on Mediators
On Sunday, Netanyahu stated, "From here (Hungary), I leave for the United States at the invitation of President Trump to discuss these issues: the hostages, achieving victory in Gaza, and of course the tariff system imposed on Israel. I hope I can assist in this matter. This is my goal."
On Monday, Haaretz reported that Netanyahu would also discuss the hostages (Israeli prisoners) with Trump and attempt to persuade him to increase American pressure on the countries involved in mediating a deal for their return.
It is unclear what type of pressure could be applied on these countries that has not already been used, given the clarity of positions from the two main parties in the negotiations. Israel aims to either defeat Hamas, end its civil control over Gaza, and exile its leaders, or continue fighting until this goal is achieved. However, Hamas wants the war to end and Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza.
Haaretz added that a partial or temporary agreement may save some of the remaining hostages, but talks with Hamas on releasing more hostages and agreeing to a ceasefire have stalled.
Netanyahu's office believes that the Trump administration understands the necessity of destroying Hamas, so Israel does not expect pressure from the U.S. to end the war. However, Netanyahu's plans may be affected by Trump's planned visit to the Middle East next month, which will include a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Gaza's war is expected to be a prominent topic during this visit.
Syria, Lebanon, and the "Iran Threat"
Haaretz also reported that an Israeli official said it is expected that the issue of Turkey's presence in Syria will be raised in the Netanyahu-Trump talks, along with some discussion on Lebanon.
Netanyahu’s goal is to convince Trump to exert strong pressure on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to prevent or at least reduce Turkey's military presence in Syria. However, Israeli circles seem to expect too much from Trump, hoping for his ability to intimidate allies.
The Iranian issue is also expected to be on the table. Netanyahu is reportedly hoping that Trump will approve a shift from diplomatic efforts to military action after the one-month deadline Trump set for Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei approaches.
On April 2, Trump threatened additional sanctions on Iran if it fails to reach an agreement on its nuclear program. He stated that the U.S. would decide on additional tariffs on Iran based on whether they reach a deal.
The Iranian government has responded to Trump's threats, with discussions indicating that Iran is prepared for talks with the U.S., but not under threats.
The Plan to Displace Gaza's Palestinians
In addition to these issues, Netanyahu will reportedly update Trump on the countries that have agreed to accept Palestinians from Gaza, although these countries have requested something in return besides financial compensation. These requests include lifting U.S. sanctions and strengthening their interests.
Israeli officials believe that Trump still holds onto his plan for Gaza, which involves relocating the local population (Palestinians) during the reconstruction phase, although it is unclear if they will eventually return to the region.
Since January 25, Trump has been promoting a plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring countries like Egypt and Jordan, a proposal rejected by these countries as well as other Arab and European nations and international organizations.
Israel has intensified its ground operations and airstrikes against Gaza after completely violating the ceasefire agreement with Hamas that began on March 18. Netanyahu has vowed to escalate the genocide in Gaza and implement Trump's plan to displace Palestinians.
Since October 7, 2023, with full U.S. support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza, resulting in over 165,000 casualties, the majority of whom are women and children, and over 11,000 missing persons.
