Blog

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met at the White House on Tuesday, with both sides describing the meet as positive, despite recent public differences over how to handle the conflict with Iran. The two leaders met privately in the Oval Office on Tuesday for around 90 minutes, marking their first White House talks since the joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran began on 28 February.

Unlike previous meetings, reporters were not invited into the Oval Office. Both the White House and the Israeli government later described the discussions as constructive.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the meeting “good and productive”.

In a video statement afterwards, Netanyahu said: “I’ve just finished an excellent meeting with President Trump.” He added that the talks focused on “our common goal: ensuring that Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons”. “It was one of the best conversations I’ve ever had with the President of the United States, our friend Donald Trump,” Netanyahu said.

According to Netanyahu’s communications director, Tzipi Hotovely, the meeting underscored close coordination between Washington and Jerusalem on Iran. “There is no truth in the claim that Israel is pushing the U.S. in a certain direction on the Iran issue,” she told reporters. “The Prime Minister is not telling the US President what to do and is not pushing him in any direction. Both sides want to prevent Iran from having nuclear weapons. There are many ways to achieve this goal.”

Hotovely said the two leaders also discussed the possibility of Saudi Arabia normalising relations with Israel, which Trump has linked to a future Saudi civilian nuclear agreement.

She added that the proposed US sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, which Israel opposes, was not discussed. Nor, she said, did Trump ask Israel to withdraw troops from areas it currently occupies.

The meeting came after several weeks of publicly visible strains between the two leaders over the direction of the Iran conflict.

Asked on Monday whether he and Netanyahu remained aligned on Iran, Trump replied: “We have a little difference. But pretty close, yeah.”

Hours before the meeting, Trump dismissed reports that Netanyahu intended to brief him on Iranian nuclear activity at a site known as Pickaxe Mountain. “I know exactly what’s going on at Pickaxe,” Trump told Fox & Friends, adding: “Bibi’s telling me that because he wants me to stay involved.”

He also questioned why such information should be made public, asking: “Why do you have to announce to the world?”

Earlier this week, Netanyahu acknowledged that decisions on how to proceed with Iran ultimately rested with the US president.

“I think, in many ways, it’s his decision,” he said during an interview with Fox News, adding that ending the conflict without further military action would be acceptable “but one way or the other, they have to end their nuclear program.”

Netanyahu’s visit came as he faces growing political pressure at home ahead of Israel’s next election.

A poll published on 18 July by Israel’s N12 found 49% of respondents supported parties aligned with the anti-Netanyahu bloc, compared with 36% backing his governing coalition after former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid formed a joint alliance. Prediction markets have also suggested a closely contested race between Netanyahu and Bennett.

Ahead of the White House meeting, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, said discussions with Trump would focus on the next phase of policy towards Iran.

“I cannot tell you which direction it will go. There are different options,” Danon said. “We are prepared for all scenarios, and we will discuss it with the president.”

The visit also coincided with memorial events for Senator Lindsey Graham, a longtime supporter of Israel who died on 11 July. Netanyahu attended Graham’s funeral at Washington National Cathedral, where Trump delivered the eulogy.

Netanyahu described the late senator as “one of its greatest friends”, adding: “Lindsey understood that the security of Israel and America are inseparable.”

A small group of demonstrators gathered outside the White House during the meeting, chanting: “Netanyahu, you’re a tyrant” and “Bibi, you’re not welcome here.”

source