As military tensions escalate between the U.S. and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to visit the United States for talks with President Donald Trump. The discussions are particularly noteworthy given Trump's previous push for peace negotiations with Iran and Netanyahu's hardline stance.
According to Axios, Trump is scheduled to meet with Netanyahu on July 28. Netanyahu's trip to the U.S. will last from July 27 to July 29. The Times of Israel reported that Netanyahu announced his visit to attend the memorial service for former Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who passed away on July 11, after which the meeting with Trump was arranged.
Since the beginning of Trump's second term, Netanyahu has visited the White House six times, making him the most frequently visiting world leader. However, there are concerns that Netanyahu may not receive a warm welcome from the pro-Trump faction within the Republican Party. Axios noted, "Netanyahu is unpopular among both Democrats and even some pro-Trump figures in Washington today."
Nevertheless, with Trump considering a resumption of large-scale military operations against Iran, there is a possibility that Netanyahu could be welcomed back. Axios reported that U.S. military operations may likely include joint military actions with Israel, similar to the "Operation Grand Fury" that began on February 28. The meeting between the two leaders is expected to be significant for Trump's decision-making regarding military actions and cooperation between the two countries.
Netanyahu's visit has also sparked a verbal exchange between New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani and Trump. According to The Hill, Mayor Mamdani stated that Netanyahu should be arrested during his visit to the U.S. for alleged war crimes related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. However, Trump refuted this claim, leading to a situation where Mamdani ultimately acknowledged he did not have the authority to arrest Netanyahu.
There is also speculation that the meeting between Trump and Netanyahu may address the normalization of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Recently, the U.S. reached an agreement with Saudi Arabia regarding the reprocessing of nuclear fuel. However, Trump emphasized that for Saudi Arabia to enter into a civilian nuclear agreement, it must join the "Abraham Accords" that Israel has signed with Arab nations, as reported by Fox News. The Abraham Accords, signed in September 2020 by the U.S., Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel, led to the establishment of diplomatic relations between the UAE, Bahrain, and Israel, with Sudan, Morocco, and Kazakhstan joining later.
The New York Times noted that the meeting comes at a critical time as the conflict with Iran approaches the five-month mark. The Iranian government has rejected the ceasefire proposal put forth by the U.S., and recent exchanges of fire have continued for 13 consecutive days.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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