Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Hold Talks with Trump in US Amidst Fears of Israel's Regional Campaigns
Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to sit down with Donald Trump at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Monday evening. This occurs as worries mount that Israel could begin new military actions against regional foes, potentially dragging the Middle East further into turmoil.
The Israeli leader left Israel on Sunday, marking his fifth trip to see Trump in the United States in the current year.
Truce in Gaza and Upcoming Challenges
High on the agenda will be the ceasefire in Gaza, which in October brought an end to the destructive two-year war. While the conditions for an first stage have been mostly met, with Israeli forces retreating to new positions and Hamas freeing the surviving and almost all of the deceased hostages, immense challenges lie ahead for the implementation of the second phase of the president's 20-point plan.
There are further fears that Israel will undertake new military campaigns against Hezbollah in Lebanon, shattering a ceasefire agreed upon more than a year ago, or against Iran, which it accuses of ramping up the manufacture of ballistic missiles in the past few months.
“The first phase is essentially over, there’s one remaining Israeli deceased hostage which [Hamas] are having difficulty finding,” said an analyst involved in back-channel talks.
The two adversaries trade accusations of breaking the truce. Hamas has failed to clearly commit to laying down its weapons and has had considerable success in re-establishing its rule in the parts of Gaza where almost all population is situated. Israel seems reluctant to withdraw from the 53% of Gaza it now controls or to allow the unhindered flow of aid into the region.
“The second phase has to begin … and I think the Americans realise that it’s late because Hamas has had too much time to reorganize and this is definitely not a situation that the Americans want to perpetuate,” the expert stated.
Humanitarian Cost and Present Situation
More than 70,000 Palestinians, predominantly civilians, died in Gaza during the war and the vast majority of the territory’s 2.3 million population was forced from their homes. Approximately 400 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the October ceasefire, and vast multitudes continue to live in conditions of severe deprivation.
In the last month, downpours and chilly weather have worsened the suffering in Gaza, where the majority of housing and infrastructure have been badly damaged or leveled.
The war was precipitated by a unexpected offensive by Hamas in southern Israel in 2023, in which 1,200 people, predominantly civilians, were killed and 250 others abducted.
Subsequent Phases and Political Tensions
Under the subsequent phases of the US proposal, an transitional administration made up of unaffiliated Palestinian specialists is to administer the Palestinian territory instead of Hamas. An international stabilisation force of thousands of troops is to be sent in.
US officials have hinted the make-up of the new authority could be made public in January.
Reports indicate that senior US officials are growing frustrated “as Netanyahu has taken steps to sabotage the unstable peace and delay the peace process”.
“There are increasing indications that the American administration is getting exasperated with Netanyahu,” said a Middle East expert. “The question is what it’s going to do about it, because phase 2 is right now going nowhere.”
Netanyahu's Main Goals
For Netanyahu, a main goal will be urging Trump to allow Israel to act to prevent Iran from rebounding inflicted on its nuclear programme or enhancing its ballistic missile capabilities.
Meanwhile, efforts to secure a stability deal between Israel and Syria have failed to make significant progress and will also be a topic at Mar-a-Lago. Israeli officials have also called for more decisive measures to disarm Hezbollah.
Netanyahu has an election within 10 months, and the looming polls will affect his agenda. “Everything is connected to [his] staying in power,” an analyst said.
Surveys indicate Netanyahu’s current coalition would face difficulties to form a government if elections were held now. Many voters are frustrated over the lapses that led to the 2023 Hamas raid, policies concerning military service exemptions, and a number of scandals.
A strong bond with Trump would bolster Netanyahu’s appeal among swing voters and his base. This implies any public disagreement between the two leaders is extremely unlikely, analysts said.
Netanyahu is expected to seek to convince Trump of the need for Israel to maintain a technological superiority over potential regional enemies. Many Israeli officials were alarmed by previous US comments regarding advanced weapons sales to other regional states.