By Sandra Kenneth
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are set to meet at the White House on Tuesday, marking their first face-to-face encounter since the outbreak of the Iran war.
The high-stakes bilateral summit comes following public disagreements over the direction of the conflict. While relations between the two leaders have grown strained in recent months, both sides have recently taken steps to downplay friction and present a unified front.
Discussions are expected to center almost entirely on the ongoing hostilities, which were ignited by joint US-Israeli strikes against Iran in late February. Tensions flared further earlier this month following the collapse of an April ceasefire. However, Washington has signaled a desire to pause further escalations to allow diplomatic negotiations a chance to succeed. Israel has abstained from participating in the latest round of US-Iran clashes.
Speaking before his departure from Israel on Monday, Netanyahu stressed the significance of the trip.
“This is a great privilege, but it is also a great responsibility,” Netanyahu stated. “We will discuss all the issues on the agenda, first and foremost Iran. Naturally, our goal is to safeguard our security and also to expand the circle of peace around us.”
Tuesday’s conference marks the eighth meeting between the two leaders since President Trump re-entered office last year, but represents their first in-person dialogue since major operations in Iran began.
Relations hit a notable low point in April during fraught ceasefire negotiations, during which Trump launched harsh, profanity-laden criticisms at his Israeli counterpart, later characterizing Netanyahu in an interview as a “very difficult guy.” Netanyahu has since minimized those exchanges, framing them as minor “tactical disagreements” while insisting both nations remain aligned on strategic objectives.
Beyond the situation in Iran, the leaders are slated to address the fragile implementation of a US-sponsored framework agreement signed between Israel and Lebanon last month, which has faced severe operational hurdles on the ground.
Upon arriving in the US capital Monday evening, Netanyahu attended a private memorial dinner honoring the late US Senator Lindsey Graham, according to the Prime Minister’s office. He is scheduled to attend Graham’s formal memorial service later on Tuesday following his meetings at the White House.
