Netanyahu meets Trump in Washington for first time since Middle East war, with Iran and Gaza topping agenda

A meeting long in the making

Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Washington on Monday ahead of a Tuesday meeting with Donald Trump, their first face-to-face since the Middle East war erupted. The Israeli prime minister described the encounter as "a great privilege, but also a great responsibility." The two leaders last spoke amid sharp tensions in April, when Trump accused Israel of obstructing a ceasefire with Tehran and called Netanyahu a "very difficult guy" in an interview. Netanyahu has since conceded "tactical disagreements" while insisting both share the same strategic goals.

It is a great privilege, but also a great responsibility.

Iran at the centre

Iran will dominate the talks, Netanyahu confirmed before departure. "We will discuss all subjects [...] above all Iran, naturally, our goal is to ensure our security, but also to expand the circle of peace around us," he said. The meeting comes after two weeks of bombings that both French outlets describe as unprecedented since the April ceasefire. Washington says it wants to give diplomacy another chance, even though Israel, which jointly with the US launched the 28 February offensive on Tehran that triggered the regional war, did not take part in the latest wave of strikes.

A relationship under strain

The April ceasefire negotiations exposed deep rifts. Trump publicly berated his Israeli ally, and the US president's "very difficult guy" remark became a symbol of the friction. Netanyahu acknowledged the discord but framed it as a difference over tactics rather than objectives. Both sides have since issued reassuring statements, and the Washington meeting is seen as an effort to reset the partnership at a moment when the military landscape is shifting again.

Lebanon and the elusive framework

Beyond Iran, the two leaders will examine the US-brokered framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon meant to end the state of war between them. Implementation has proved difficult on the ground. On Sunday, the Lebanese army condemned Israel's continued military operations in the south, where Israeli forces still occupy a strip of territory they say is necessary to neutralise the pro-Iranian Hezbollah. The gap between the diplomatic text and the reality on the border remains wide.

Gaza's catastrophic stalemate

Gaza will also be on the table. Diplomatic efforts to launch reconstruction of the Palestinian territory, devastated by two years of war between Hamas and Israel, are at an impasse. The humanitarian situation is described as catastrophic, yet no breakthrough is in sight. The Trump-Netanyahu conversation is expected to address the deadlock, though neither side has signalled a new initiative.