Netanyahu departs for Washington to meet Trump at White House

Tel Aviv [Israel], September 29 (ANI): Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday departed for Washington along with his delegation to meet US President Donald Trump.

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his delegation have departed for Washington. The Prime Minister will meet with President Trump at the White House at 11:00 (EDT). Following the meeting, the two leaders are expected to issue statements to the media at 13:15 (EDT)," the Prime Minister's Office posted on X.

Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, also extended his wishes to Netanyahu ahead of the visit. "I wish Prime Minister @netanyahu great success in his important visit to Washington today and in his meeting with President @realDonaldTrump at the White House," Danon posted on X.

The emphasis on the importance of Netanyahu's visit by Ambassador Danon comes as the addition of a press conference to the White House meeting has raised speculation that the Trump administration may use this platform to announce that it has finalised its agreement for ending the conflict in Gaza and releasing the remaining Israeli hostages held there, as per The Times of Israel.

The US has secured initial backing for the plan from Arab and Muslim partners needed for the postwar management of Gaza. However, Israel was still deliberating the plan on Sunday, while Hamas said it hadn't even been presented with it yet, as per The Times of Israel.

One of the plan's 21 points states that much of the agreement can move forward even if Hamas doesn't agree, including the establishment of a new transitional government of Palestinian technocrats and an international stabilisation force in areas cleared of Hamas's presence -- which includes the vast majority of the Strip, as per The Times of Israel.

But without Hamas releasing the remaining 48 hostages, it's unlikely that Israel will agree to halt its offensive in Gaza City and beyond. Netanyahu reportedly met with West Bank settlement leaders on Sunday night ahead of his Monday meeting with US President Donald Trump, and said that he will raise the issue of Israel applying sovereignty to the West Bank, The Times of Israel reported.

Netanyahu also acknowledged that he was faced with a "complicated reality," signalling that Israeli annexation of parts of the West Bank is unlikely. Netanyahu's allies to the right, including settlement leaders, have been pushing for Israel to apply its sovereignty to parts of the West Bank, particularly as a reaction to the wave of Western countries recognising a Palestinian state.

But Trump has ruled out Israeli West Bank annexation, and the UAE, which normalised relations with Israel five years ago, said the move would be a "red line," as per The Times of Israel. In the meeting, Netanyahu reportedly said that Israel must "navigate a complicated reality."

"We have a supportive president," Netanyahu reportedly said regarding Trump. "Remember the Obama era, when he told us not to lay even one brick." He writes that the "clear message of settlement is, no to a Palestinian state, yes to applying sovereignty." (ANI)

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