President Donald Trump remarked that discussions about the Middle East involving Israel and several other nations were showing progress. “The discussions on the Middle East with Israel and various other countries are progressing. Bibi Netanyahu’s coming on Tuesday, and I think we have some very big meetings scheduled,” Trump shared with the media, according to AFP.
Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu arrived in Washington, DC, on Sunday in anticipation of his scheduled talks with Trump on Tuesday. However, before meeting with Trump, Netanyahu has a Monday engagement with Steve Witkoff, who is Trump’s Middle East envoy.
In their meeting, Netanyahu and Witkoff are expected to focus on the potential extension of the ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas, or the possible progress toward a second phase. The 50th day of the deal is considered a difficult one, as Israel is expected to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor.
The conversation between Netanyahu and Trump will revolve around the current approach to negotiations. Prior to departing for Washington, Netanyahu told the press, “The fact that this is would be President Trump’s first meeting with a foreign leader since taking office is telling. I think it’s a testimony to the strength of the Israeli-American alliance. It’s also a testimony to the strength of our personal friendship; that friendship and cooperation have already yielded important results for the Middle East, including the historic Abraham Accords which President Trump led and which brought four historic peace treaties between Israel and its neighbors.”
Netanyahu also observed that, “at this meeting, we will deal with the critical issues facing Israel and our region: victory over Hamas, achieving the release of all our hostages, and dealing with the Iranian terror axis and all its components, an axis that threatens the peace of Israel, the Middle East, and the entire world.”
He went on to say, “The decisions we made in the war have already changed the face of the Middle East. Our decisions and the courage of our soldiers have redrawn the map and I believe that working with President Trump we could redraw it further, for the better. I believe that we can strengthen security, broaden the circle of peace, and achieve a remarkable era of peace through strength.”
{Matzav.com}
