President Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at the White House on Monday evening to discuss achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages, promoting peace with Iran, and expanding the Abraham Accords. This marks the third face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since Trump returned to the White House, demonstrating the United States’ continued role as an active mediator in the Middle East.
The U.S. is actively mediating a new round of ceasefire and hostage exchange agreements between Israel and Hamas, aiming to bring an end to the ongoing conflict. It is estimated that over 50 hostages are still held in Gaza, with approximately 20 still surviving.
Before the meeting, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized, “The President’s primary mission in the Middle East right now is to end the Gaza conflict and bring back all hostages.”
The latest ceasefire proposal, supported by the U.S. and Israel, has been submitted to Hamas through mediators, but Hamas has not yet accepted it.
Trump had expressed optimism with reporters on Sunday, stating, “I think we are close to reaching an agreement on Gaza, possibly this week.” He added, “I think we have a good chance this week with Hamas to reach an agreement involving a significant number of hostages.”
During the meeting, U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff expressed optimism about reaching an agreement despite recent Israeli soldier casualties in an ambush.
Witkoff said, “We have the chance to eventually reach a peace agreement, Prime Minister, as we have discussed, and I believe it can be achieved soon.”
Regarding Iran, Trump stated that U.S. airstrikes on Iranian facilities in Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz have left their facilities “completely destroyed,” forcing Iran to “start over and rebuild elsewhere.”
Trump mentioned that the U.S. has arranged negotiations with Iran, revealing that “they want to negotiate,” and that “they are different now compared to two weeks ago.”
He emphasized that only when Iran abandons its nuclear ambitions can a peace agreement be realized. If the timing is right, he is willing to consider lifting sanctions on Iran.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a media interview, expressed belief that through dialogue, Iran and the U.S. could resolve their differences.
Regarding the future of Palestinian settlements, Netanyahu stated that Israel and the U.S. are closely working together to find a country willing to provide a “better future” for the Palestinian people.
He emphasized, “If people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave; this should not be a prison.”
Trump added that the U.S. has garnered “great cooperation” from several neighboring countries, expressing optimism in the progress.
During the meeting, Trump and Netanyahu also discussed the possibility of expanding the Abraham Accords, with Trump hoping to include Syria in the next round of normalized nations.
According to Allison Minor, Director of the N7 Institute at the Atlantic Council, Trump aims to transform these ceasefires into longer-term stability in the region.
Minor wrote in a recent report, “With progress on the Iran ceasefire, Trump and Netanyahu have the opportunity to revive the Abraham Accords. If Trump succeeds in brokering a Gaza ceasefire, this momentum will further strengthen.”
The Abraham Accords, established by Trump in 2020, normalized relations between Israel and countries such as the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.
Minor noted that the current timing provides a historic opportunity to change the dynamics in the Syria relationship, especially after Trump’s decision to lift longstanding sanctions on Syria.
However, normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia remains stalled. The Saudi government insists that normalization with Israel will only occur with a clear path to establishing a Palestinian state.
When asked about supporting the “two-state solution,” Trump deferred the question to Netanyahu, who reiterated that Palestinians should have the right to self-governance, but security control must remain in Israel’s hands.
During the meeting and earlier on social media, Trump expressed strong support for Netanyahu and criticized the corruption charges against him as a “political persecution,” similar to the “witch hunts” he had experienced.
Trump stated that Netanyahu is a war hero who has successfully collaborated with the U.S. to weaken the Iranian nuclear threat and is currently working on negotiations to achieve a ceasefire and release hostages.
In response, Netanyahu thanked Trump for his support on social media, saying, “Together, we will make the Middle East great again!”
(Reference: English Epoch Times)