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

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu near for the U.S. connected Sunday to conscionable with U.S. President Donald Trump, looking to fortify ties with the U.S. authorities pursuing tensions with the Biden medication implicit the warfare successful Gaza.

Netanyahu departed for Washington amid the ceasefire with Hamas – which includes hostage releases – inactive successful effect and negotiations for a 2nd signifier expected to statesman this week. He volition beryllium the archetypal overseas person to sojourn Trump since his inauguration connected Jan. 20.

"The information that this volition beryllium his archetypal gathering with a person of a overseas state since his inauguration holds large value for the State of Israel," Netanyahu said successful a statement.

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"First of all, it indicates the spot of the confederation betwixt Israel and the United States. Secondly, it besides reflects the spot of our connection; a transportation that has already yielded large things for the State of Israel and the region, and has besides brought astir the historical bid agreements betwixt Israel and 4 Arab countries – the 'Abraham Accords' that President Trump led," the premier curate continued.

This comes astir 16 months aft the warfare successful Gaza began, prompted by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, onslaught against Israel, starring to subject retaliation from Israeli forces.

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"The decisions we made during the war, combined with the bravery of our IDF soldiers, person already changed the look of the Middle East," Netanyahu said. "They person changed it beyond recognition. I judge that with hard enactment alongside President Trump, we tin alteration it adjacent much for the better."

"Our decisions and the courageousness of our soldiers person redrawn the map. But I judge that moving intimately with President Trump, we tin redraw it adjacent further and for the better," helium added.

Netanyahu and erstwhile U.S. President Joe Biden experienced hostility successful their narration during the past medication successful Washington, and the Israeli premier curate has not visited the White House since returning to bureau astatine the extremity of 2022.

"We tin fortify Israel's security, we tin grow the ellipse of bid adjacent further, and we tin bring astir a fantastic epoch that we ne'er dreamed of. An epoch of prosperity, security, and bid from a presumption of strength," Netanyahu said. "The spot of our soldiers, the spot of our citizens, the spot of Israel, and the spot of the confederation betwixt Israel and the United States."

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