WASHINGTON: Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Thursday, July 25, according to an announcement from the Prime Minister's Office.
This meeting marks their first encounter since Biden's visit to Israel following the October 7 Hamas attack. The leaders are scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. local time (8 p.m. in Israel).
The White House confirmed the meeting, adding that the two leaders will also meet with the families of American hostages. Around a dozen family members are in Washington for Netanyahu's speech and have urged him to support the current hostage deal.
Initially, the meeting was expected on Tuesday, but it was rescheduled due to Biden's return to Washington from Delaware after recovering from COVID-19.
Separately, an Israeli official clarified that a meeting between former President Donald Trump and Netanyahu will occur on Friday at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. Trump's earlier posts on social media had caused confusion about the timing. The meeting is set for Friday, July 26, and will be closed to the press.
The rescheduled meeting means Netanyahu and his team will spend the weekend in the U.S. before returning to Israel after Shabbat on Saturday night. Channel 13 reported that Netanyahu will briefly visit Florida before heading back to Washington for Shabbat.
Responding to criticism about the meeting’s timing, which coincides with Netanyahu’s son Yair's birthday, the Prime Minister's Office emphasized the importance of Netanyahu’s meetings with both Biden and the leading presidential candidates.
The Prime Minister's Office noted, “The White House scheduled a meeting between President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu at 1 p.m., and a meeting with the vice president is scheduled for the afternoon. Therefore, the only possibility to meet with Donald Trump is on Friday.”
Families of hostages and fallen soldiers traveling with Netanyahu to Washington were informed they could fly home on commercial flights before Shabbat if they preferred.
Netanyahu has had complex relationships with both Biden and Trump. During Trump’s presidency, Netanyahu achieved significant milestones, such as normalization deals with Arab nations and the relocation of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. However, since leaving office, Trump has criticized Netanyahu for congratulating Biden on his election victory and for the handling of the October 7 attack.
Biden, a long-time supporter of Israel, visited the country shortly after the Hamas attack, showing strong support. However, tensions have arisen over Israel's campaign against Hamas, including disagreements on humanitarian aid, civilian casualties, and the future of Gaza. The relationship hit a low point when the U.S. abstained from a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza without conditions.
Recently, both sides have aligned more closely, especially after the Rafah operation and the potential for a hostage release-for-ceasefire deal with Hamas.
Netanyahu is also scheduled to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris after his discussion with Biden. Harris aims to convey the necessity of ending the war in a manner that ensures Israel's security, the release of all hostages, and dignity and freedom for Palestinian civilians.
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