Netanyahu in Washington meeting Trump… A possible direction into ending the war in Gaza

US President Donald Trump will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday, shortly after he pledged to reach an agreement to end the Gaza war and reiterated his opposition to Israeli annexation of the West Bank.

“We’ve a real opportunity to do something great in the Middle East,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social, adding, “Everyone is ready for something remarkable… This is a first… And we will do it”.

This is Netanyahu’s fourth visit to the White House since Trump returned to power in January.

They are scheduled to hold a joint press conference on Monday at 5:15 PM GMT.

Over the past nine months, Trump’s unwavering support for Israel has remained unwavering, but his ideas for ending the conflict that erupted on October 7, 2023, have varied widely and haven’t always aligned with those of his guest.

The Israeli Prime Minister continues to maintain his firm positions, but he faces international isolation and demonstrations in Israel calling on him to stop the war and return the hostages.

The latest US proposal, previously presented by Trump to Netanyahu by telephone and to a number of Muslim leaders in person, promises to bring peace to the Palestinian enclave, which has been reduced to rubble as a result of the ongoing Israeli offensive for two years.

“I think we have an agreement,” Trump told reporters in Washington on Friday, regarding ending the war in the Gaza Strip and releasing the hostages held by Hamas.

At almost the same time, Netanyahu delivered a bombastic speech to the UN General Assembly on Friday, in which he declared that the establishment of a Palestinian state would be “suicide” for Israel and vowed to completely eliminate Hamas.

According to a diplomatic source, the US plan includes a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the release of Israeli hostages, an Israeli withdrawal, and future governance of Gaza without Hamas.

British media reported that former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who served as a Middle East peace mediator between 2007 and 2025, may play a leadership role in the transitional authority for the Gaza Strip under the proposed US plan.

“Netanyahu has a clear preference for continuing the war and defeating Hamas, but I don’t think it will be impossible for Trump to convince him otherwise,” said Natan Sachs of the Middle East Institute in Washington.

However, this is conditional upon Washington defending a very clear vision in a disciplined and consistent manner, which represents a real challenge for the US president, whose geopolitical orientations are characterized by extreme volatility, the researcher notes.

Trump is known to be influenced by the last person he speaks to, especially if they are convincing, and Netanyahu is very adept at convincing Trump.

For example, when the Israeli Prime Minister visited the White House in July, the US President was very pleased with Netanyahu’s announcement that he had been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The issue of the occupied West Bank will also be central on Monday.

Last week, Trump warned against annexation, while several ministers in Netanyahu’s government were urging the move in response to Western countries’ recognition of the State of Palestine.

“I’ll not allow Israel to annex the West Bank… No, I’ll not allow it… It won’t happen,” Trump said Thursday.

Natan Sachs points out that the implications for the Israeli Prime Minister aren’t easy.

Trump’s public pressure may complicate Netanyahu’s position within his ruling coalition, but this categorical rejection by a US president who enjoys widespread popularity among the Israeli right may also, according to the researcher, provide him with a way out of these annexation demands.