President Donald Trump will welcome Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House on Monday for crucial talks about the ongoing Gaza war and newly imposed tariffs. This meeting marks the second time Netanyahu has been invited to meet with Trump since his return to office, signaling the importance of the issues at hand.
The leaders are expected to discuss the renewed military operations in Gaza, which began on March 19 after a brief two-month ceasefire. Despite efforts to negotiate a new ceasefire, Hamas rejected Israel’s proposals, making this meeting even more pressing.
But it’s not just the war in Gaza that will be on the agenda. President Trump’s controversial tariffs, which include a hefty 17% duty on imports from Israel, are set to take center stage. Netanyahu will be the first world leader to meet with Trump face-to-face to make the case for rolling back these tariffs, which have rocked global markets in recent days.
In an attempt to avoid the tariffs, Israel had lifted its own duties on U.S. exports, but this move failed to sway the Trump administration. Trump’s decision to impose the tariffs is partly based on concerns over non-tariff barriers, including issues like intellectual property theft and Israel’s trade deficit with the U.S.
This meeting follows a similar one on February 4, when Trump suggested a bold plan for the U.S. to take control of the Gaza Strip and relocate millions of Palestinians to neighboring Arab countries. The upcoming talks could significantly impact both the future of Gaza and the U.S.-Israel trade relationship.
