Israel’s Netanyahu departs for US to meet with Trump, hoping to strengthen ties with Washington

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left for the U.S. on Sunday to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, looking to strengthen ties with the U.S. government following tensions with the Biden administration over the war in Gaza.

Netanyahu departed for Washington amid the ceasefire with Hamas – which includes hostage releases – still in effect and negotiations for a second phase expected to begin this week. He will be the first foreign leader to visit Trump since his inauguration on Jan. 20.

“The fact that this will be his first meeting with a leader of a foreign country since his inauguration holds great significance for the State of Israel,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

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“First of all, it indicates the strength of the alliance between Israel and the United States. Secondly, it also reflects the strength of our connection; a connection that has already yielded great things for the State of Israel and the region, and has also brought about the historic peace agreements between Israel and four Arab countries – the ‘Abraham Accords’ that President Trump led,” the prime minister continued.

This comes nearly 16 months after the war in Gaza began, prompted by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack against Israel, leading to military retaliation from Israeli forces.

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“The decisions we made during the war, combined with the bravery of our IDF soldiers, have already changed the face of the Middle East,” Netanyahu said. “They have changed it beyond recognition. I believe that with hard work alongside President Trump, we can change it even more for the better.”

“Our decisions and the courage of our soldiers have redrawn the map. But I believe that working closely with President Trump, we can redraw it even further and for the better,” he added.

Netanyahu and former U.S. President Joe Biden experienced tension in their relationship during the last administration in Washington, and the Israeli prime minister has not visited the White House since returning to office at the end of 2022.

“We can strengthen Israel’s security, we can expand the circle of peace even further, and we can bring about a wonderful era that we never dreamed of. An era of prosperity, security, and peace from a position of strength,” Netanyahu said. “The strength of our soldiers, the strength of our citizens, the strength of Israel, and the strength of the alliance between Israel and the United States.”

Fox News’ Yael Rotem-Kuriel and Reuters contributed to this report.