Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Washington, D.C., on Sunday. He came with his wife, Sara. This is his second trip to the White House since President Trump became president again. The visit will last until Tuesday.
Meeting with Trump
Netanyahu will meet President Trump on Monday afternoon. This is the first time Trump has met a foreign leader in person since he started his new term. They will talk about trade and other big issues.
Trade and Tariffs
Trump put tariffs on many countries, including Israel. A tariff is a tax on goods coming into the U.S. Israel has to pay a 17% tariff because the U.S. buys more from Israel than Israel buys from the U.S. Israel tried to avoid this tariff by removing its own taxes on U.S. goods, but it didn’t work. Netanyahu wants to make a deal with Trump to lower or remove the tariff.
Gaza Conflict
They will also talk about the war in Gaza. Israel’s army is surrounding a city called Rafah in southern Gaza. They told people to leave the area. Many Palestinians have fled, but they don’t have enough food, water, or supplies. There are 59 hostages still held by groups called Hamas and Islamic Jihad. People worry that many of these hostages might be dead.
Other Topics
Netanyahu’s team said they will discuss:
- Relations between Israel and Turkey.
- The danger from Iran.
- How to deal with the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICC Problem
The ICC is a court that investigates war crimes. It issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu. They say he may have broken rules during the Gaza war. Because of this warrant, Netanyahu can’t travel to some countries in Europe. They might arrest him if he goes there.
Travel Challenges
Netanyahu flew from Budapest, Hungary, to Washington. Hungary is one of the few European countries he can visit safely. It doesn’t follow the ICC’s rules. His plane, called “Wing of Zion,” took a longer route to avoid risky countries like Ireland, Iceland, and the Netherlands. The flight was 400 kilometers longer than usual. It went over Croatia, Italy, and France instead.
Trump’s View
Trump might say this visit proves his tariff plan is working. He could claim that leaders like Netanyahu are coming to him to make deals. Hungary’s leader, Viktor Orban, also supports Trump’s ideas. Hungary is leaving the ICC because they think it’s unfair to Israel.
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