Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump would possibly look to take a victory lap on Monday after their current joint strikes on Iran, hailed by each as an unmitigated success.
However as they meet for the third time this yr, the outwardly triumphant go to shall be dogged by Israel’s 21-month battle towards Hamas in Gaza and questions over how laborious Trump will push for an finish to the battle.
Trump has made clear that following the 12-day battle between Israel and Iran, he wish to see the Gaza battle finish quickly. The assembly between Trump and Netanyahu may give new urgency to a U.S. ceasefire proposal being mentioned by Israel and Hamas, however whether or not it results in a deal that ends the battle is unclear.
“The optics shall be very constructive,” mentioned Michael Oren, a former Israeli ambassador to Washington. “However behind the victory lap are going to be some very critical questions.”
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Earlier than departing for Washington on Sunday, Netanyahu praised the cooperation with the U.S. for bringing a “large victory over our shared enemy.” He struck a constructive be aware on a ceasefire for Gaza, saying he was working “to attain the deal underneath dialogue, on the phrases we agreed to.”
“I believe that the dialogue with President Trump can definitely assist advance that consequence, which all of us hope for,” Netanyahu mentioned.
‘It modifications from each day’
Israel and Hamas seem like inching towards a brand new ceasefire settlement that might deliver a few 60-day pause within the preventing, ship help flooding into Gaza and free at the very least a number of the remaining 50 hostages held within the territory.
However a perennial sticking level is whether or not the ceasefire will finish the battle altogether. Hamas has mentioned it’s prepared to free all of the hostages in trade for an finish to the battle and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Netanyahu says the battle will finish as soon as Hamas surrenders, disarms and goes into exile — one thing it refuses to do.
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Trump has made it clear that he needs to be often known as a peacemaker. He has repeatedly trumpeted current peace offers that his administration facilitated between India and Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, and Israel and Iran, and for years has made little secret of the truth that he covets a Nobel Peace Prize.
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Hamas reviewing 60-day Gaza ceasefire proposal
He has been pressuring Israel and Hamas to wrap up their very own battle, which has killed tens of 1000’s of Palestinians, ravaged Gaza, deepened Israel’s worldwide isolation and made any decision to the broader battle between Israel and the Palestinians extra distant than ever.
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However the exact particulars of the deal, and whether or not it might probably result in an finish to the battle, are nonetheless in flux. Within the days earlier than Netanyahu’s go to, Trump appeared to downplay the probabilities for a breakthrough.
Requested on Friday how assured he was a ceasefire deal would come collectively, Trump informed reporters: “I’m very optimistic — however you already know, look, it modifications from each day.”
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On Sunday night, he appeared to slim his expectation, telling reporters that he thought an settlement associated to the remaining hostages can be reached within the coming week.
Trump and Netanyahu are extra in sync than ever
These temper swings even have embodied Trump’s relationship with Netanyahu.
After Trump’s resolution to become involved in Israel’s struggle in Iran with strikes on Iranian nuclear websites, the 2 leaders are extra in sync than ever. However that’s not at all times been the case.
As lately as Netanyahu’s final go to to Washington in April, the tone was markedly totally different.
Trump used the photo-op with Netanyahu to announce that the U.S. was coming into into negotiations with Iran over its nuclear deal — showing to catch the Israeli chief off guard and on the time, slamming the brakes on any Israeli navy plan.
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He additionally praised Turkish chief Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a fierce critic of Israel’s, in entrance of Netanyahu, and the 2 made no obvious progress on a commerce deal on the peak of Trump’s tariff enlargement.
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Trump, whose insurance policies have largely aligned with Israel’s personal priorities, pledged final week to be “very agency” with Netanyahu on ending the battle, with out saying what that might entail. Strain by Trump has labored on Netanyahu up to now, with a ceasefire deal having been reached proper because the president was taking workplace once more.
Netanyahu has to steadiness the calls for of his American ally with the far-right events in his governing coalition who maintain the important thing to his political survival and oppose ending the battle.
However given the robust U.S. help in Israel’s struggle towards Iran, highlighted by joint airstrikes on a fortified underground Iranian nuclear website, Netanyahu might have a troublesome time saying no.
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On Sunday night, Trump mentioned one of many issues he anticipated to debate with Netanyahu “might be a everlasting take care of Iran.”
Trump additionally might count on one thing in return for his current requires Netanyahu’s corruption trial to be canceled — a big interference within the home affairs of a sovereign state.
“Trump thinks that Netanyahu owes him,” mentioned Eytan Gilboa, an knowledgeable on U.S.-Israel affairs at Bar-Ilan College close to Tel Aviv. “And if Trump thinks that he wants to finish the battle In Gaza, then that’s what he might want to do.”
The 2 males will probably talk about the ceasefire with Iran and the way to reply to any perceived violations.
However past Iran is Trump’s grand imaginative and prescient for a brand new Center East, the place he hopes that extra international locations will be a part of the Abraham Accords, a collection of agreements normalizing relations between Arab international locations and Israel brokered throughout Trump’s first time period.
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Netanyahu and Trump are more likely to talk about learn how to deliver Syria into the fold. The nation, a longtime enemy of Israel’s, has new management after the autumn of President Bashar Assad, and consultants say circumstances may be ripe for some form of nonbelligerency settlement.
However Trump’s final objective is to incorporate regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia.
The Saudis, whose clout may open the door for different Arab or Muslim international locations to hitch, have expressed curiosity in normalizing ties with Israel however solely whether it is accompanied by critical steps towards resolving Israel’s battle with the Palestinians. For starters, that would appear to require motion in Gaza.
“Crucial factor (for Trump) is to finish the struggle in Gaza,” Gilboa mentioned. “That’s the key to all of the regional peace within the Center East.”
—Value reported from Washington.
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