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‘We made a lot of progress’: President Trump on talks with Netanyahu
Trump met Israeli PM Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago and expressed strong support for Netanyahu, emphasizing the importance of his leadership for Israel's existence.
US President Donald Trump on Monday said that he had already settled about three of the difficulties as he met the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Florida's Mar-a-Lago a day after he met his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
The two global leaders met at Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida to hold talks on issues including the Gaza ceasefire and Israeli concerns about Iran and Lebanese group Hezbollah, Reuters reported.
“This is a very good group. We made a lot of progress already,” US President Trump said as he spoke to reporters adding that they had about a five minute meeting and they had already settled about three of the difficulties.
Discussions between Trump and Netanyahu
Trump's voices aligned to that of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu as he reportedly struck a decidedly supportive tone with him.
"I feel that if you had the wrong prime minister, Israel would not exist," Trump said as he expressed support and praise towards the Israeli Prime Minister.
As Israel stands weary of a potential bounce-back of its foes, PM Netanyahu stood with President Trump as Washington in the last one year brokered a total of three ceasefires between Israel and Hamas, Israel and Iran, and Israel and Lebanon.
Israel and Hamas-
The US President said that he wanted to move to the second phase of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas as soon as possible but added that ‘there has to be a disarming of Hamas’.
In October, the two sides agreed on a ceasefire whereby Israel withdrew from the territory of Gaza and Hamas surrendered by giving up its weapons and forgoing a governing role. In its first phase, the ceasefire included a partial Israeli withdrawal, an increase of aid and the exchange of hostages for Palestinian detainees and prisoners.
While the fighting has been majorly abated, it has not stopped entirely. Although the ceasefire officially began in October, according to Gaza health officials, Israeli strikes have killed more than 400 Palestinians, and Palestinian militants have killed at least three Israeli soldiers.
Next up, Israel is now yet to open the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, which comes under Trump's plan, who however has conditioned of doing so only when hostage remains are returned by Hamas.
Drawing to a reason behind the alignment of the two leaders, former Israeli deputy national security adviser Freilich said that Netayahu does not want a clash with Trump in an election year in Israel. “(Trump) wants to go forward, and Bibi (Netanyahu) is going to have to make some compromises there,” he added.
Israel and Iran -
Speaking on the Iran-Israel issue, Trump affirmed that he would be open to supporting another rapid Israeli attack on Iran if that country keeps developing its ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs.
Earlier in June, Iran and Israel engaged in a nearly 12-day-long warfare during which Trump had ordered US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities but has since then broached a potential deal with Tehran.
PM Netanyahu earlier said that Israel was not seeking a confrontation with Iran, but was aware of the reports, adding that he would raise Tehran's activities with Trump.
Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah
In November 2024, US backed a ceasefire, drawing an end to more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. The ceasefire required the disarmament of the powerful Iran-backed Shiite group, beginning in areas south of the river adjacent to Israel.
While Lebanon has said it is close to completing the mission within the year-end deadline of disarming Hezbollah, the group has resisted calls to lay down its weapons, the Reuters report added.
Israel affirmed that it has been carrying out near-daily strikes in Lebanon, which it says are meant to stop Hezbollah from rebuilding.
