Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with President Trump at the White House next week, making him the first foreign leader invited to visit Washington by the new Trump administration.
Trump told reporters on Monday that he would be hosting Netanyahu “very soon,” and the office of the Israeli prime minister confirmed on Tuesday that the meeting would take place on February 4.
Ahead of Netanyahu’s trip to the US, Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to hold talks with the Israeli leader in Israel. According to The Jerusalem Post, they’re expected to discuss phase two of the Gaza ceasefire deal with Hamas.
Netanyahu has claimed that he received a guarantee from Trump that Israel could restart its genocidal war in Gaza if it chooses to do so. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has also said he’s received assurances from Netanyahu that Israeli military operations would restart after the first phase, which involves a 42-day ceasefire to allow for hostage exchanges.
Witkoff, a real estate investor from New York, has said he wants to ensure that the full ceasefire deal is implemented, but he has warned it will be difficult. Pressure Witkoff put on Netanyahu was seen as the key factor in getting Israel to agree to the deal in the first place.
Israeli officials have said they received assurances from the US in exchange for signing the ceasefire deal, including a promise to increase US military aid. Over the weekend, President Trump released a 2,000-pound bomb shipment for Israel that was paused by President Biden.
