America 6 April,2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to visit US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, says Agence France-Presse. The visit assumes significance as it will be the first foreign leader visit to Washington after the US president imposed substantial tariffs on 60 countries and trade blocs on April 2. Israel was surprisingly faced with a tariff of 17 percent.
A White House spokesperson told on Saturday that Netanyahu will visit the White House on April 6. This announcement follows Trump's statement on Thursday that the visit would happen soon, possibly the week after. But the Axios website reported that Israeli officials and some of the Trump administration were taken aback by this news.
Will they talk about a Gaza ceasefire?
Beyond tariff negotiations, US and Israeli leaders will also be discussing the stagnant negotiations for a new Gaza ceasefire agreement. On Sunday, Netanyahu rejected claims that Israel was not in talks for the return of the hostages still in Gaza but reaffirmed that Hamas must hand over its weapons.
"We are ready. Hamas must disarm. Its leaders may leave," he said.
Netanyahu spoke as Egyptian, Qatari, and US negotiators were trying to secure a ceasefire and arrange the release of Israeli hostages still in Gaza.
