Netanyahu-Trump assembly ends with no change to tariffs

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed the assembly with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday night virtually empty-handed. 

Expectations in Israel had been excessive that Netanyahu would be capable of safe both a discount within the 17% tariffs introduced by President Trump final week, or a robust stance in opposition to Iran for resisting U.S. efforts at negotiations over the nation’s nuclear ambitions, or probably even optimistic developments within the difficulty of the hostages, after Netanyahu met with Trump and his particular Center East envoy Steve Witkoff. 

Nevertheless, to the frustration of many in Israel, Netanyahu left with little excellent news for Israel. As an alternative of asserting recent sanctions on Iran or a potential date for a cooperative strike on Iran’s nuclear services, the U.S. president introduced direct negotiations whereas Netanyahu sat subsequent to him. 

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The obvious urgency of the U.S. request for Netanyahu to go to Washington seems to have been behind the Israeli expectations for important information. Netanyahu introduced the shock go to to the U.S. as he was departing from a four-day go to to Hungary. 

In contrast to his earlier go to, when Trump shocked the world by declaring the U.S. intention to take management of the Gaza Strip, rebuild it and remodel it right into a Mediterranean Riviera, Netanyahu’s reactions throughout this go to had been notably extra subdued.

Even President Trump appeared to reduce the significance of the go to, which had appeared pressing at first. 

“It is a fast cease — out and in,” Trump mentioned of Netanyahu’s go to, “however we respect your being right here.”  

Netanyahu once more thanked Trump, calling him “a exceptional buddy to the State of Israel.” 

Relating to the tariffs, which look like primarily based on commerce deficits, Netanyahu shortly tried to appease Trump, asserting that Israel would “remove the commerce deficit.” 

“We’ll remove the commerce deficit with the USA,” Netanyahu insisted, vowing to take away “all commerce obstacles.”

“Israel can function a mannequin for a lot of nations that should do the identical,” Netanyahu mentioned. “Free commerce needs to be honest commerce.” 

Nevertheless, the gesture didn’t look like ample for Trump, who talked about the almost $4 billion in help Israel receives annually. 

The U.S. commerce deficit with Israel stood at $7.4 billion in 2024, which represents a rise of 8.6% from the earlier 12 months. 

Netanyahu and Trump solely briefly talked about the hostages, with a lot of their remarks coming in response to questions from reporters. 

Netanyahu spoke of the hostages and the state of affairs in Gaza in his feedback earlier than the query and reply interval. 

“We spoke about not solely the hostages, however about Gaza,” Netanyahu said. “The hostages clearly is a human story of simply insufferable agony.” 

Saying that he speaks with the hostage households, the prime minister mentioned, “The hostages are in agony, and we wish to get all of them out. Steve Witkoff, who’s President Trump’s very ready consultant, helped us get a deal that received 25 out. We’re working now on one other deal that we hope will succeed.” 

It’s not clear if Netanyahu was referring to Witkoff’s proposal, which Hamas rejected, or to the most recent Egyptian try to resume the negotiations. 

For his half, Trump praised Netanyahu’s work concerning the hostages, saying he’s “working very onerous” for his or her launch. 

“We are attempting very onerous to get the hostages out. We’re taking a look at one other ceasefire. We’ll see what occurs. However we wish to get the hostages out. The Israeli folks need the hostages out. Greater than something, they need the hostages out. This man was working very onerous with us to try this,” Trump mentioned of Netanyahu. 

Netanyahu additionally reiterated that Trump’s Gaza proposal was nonetheless a part of Israel’s plans.

“We’re dedicated to getting all of the hostages out, but in addition eliminating the evil tyranny of Hamas in Gaza and enabling the folks of Gaza to freely make a option to go wherever they need,” he said. “They need to have that selection. And the president put ahead a imaginative and prescient, a daring imaginative and prescient, which we mentioned as effectively, together with the nations that could be amenable and are amenable to accepting Palestinians of their free selection in the event that they select to go there.” 

Trump additionally appeared to reaffirm the USA’ ongoing curiosity in assuming management of Gaza following the conflict.

“Having a peace power like the USA there, controlling and proudly owning the Gaza Strip, could be a superb factor,” Trump mentioned.

In his feedback, Trump additionally mentioned he hopes to see the Gaza Struggle finish quickly. 

“I would wish to see the conflict cease, and I feel the conflict will cease sooner or later, that will not be within the too-distant future.” 

“We additionally mentioned the state of affairs in Syria,” Netanyahu said. “We have had neighborly relations with Turkey which have deteriorated, and we do not wish to see Syria being utilized by anybody, together with Turkey, as a base for assault on Israel.” 

Netanyahu additionally praised Trump’s potential position in stopping an additional deterioration in relations with Turkey. 

“Turkey is a rustic that has an incredible relationship with the USA. The President has a relationship with the chief of Turkey,” Netanyahu said. “We mentioned how we are able to keep away from this battle in quite a lot of methods, and I feel we won’t have a greater interlocutor than the President of the USA for this goal.” 

“Any drawback that you’ve got with Turkey, I feel I can resolve… We have now to be cheap,” Trump instructed Netanyahu. 

This text was initially revealed by All Israel Information.