US President Donald Trump has once again given a big statement. He said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has requested a meeting at the White House, which could take place next week. At the same time, he stressed that the two leaders have a very good relationship and added that Netanyahu 'knows who's the boss'. In a short interview on Saturday, Trump said that our relations with Israel are very good. Netanyahu knows who's the boss, and he pointed to himself.
If this visit happens, it will be the first meeting between the two leaders since their meeting in the Situation Room of the White House in February. In that meeting, Netanyahu reportedly presented a plan for a joint military operation against Iran.
Trump said that Netanyahu had asked for a meeting at the White House and this meeting could take place next week after returning from the NATO summit. However, an Israeli official says next week may be too early because Trump has a busy travel schedule, including a visit to Turkey for the NATO summit on July 7-8. The official said, this could happen next week.
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office confirmed that Netanyahu spoke to Trump on Friday and congratulated him on America's 250th Independence Day. The statement said that during the conversation, the Prime Minister said that America is the guarantor of global freedom and Israel attaches great importance to the close relations between the two countries. PM Netanyahu and President Trump agreed to meet in America soon.
According to the report, there has been tension in the relationships. This proposed meeting is taking place at a time when there are reports of increasing differences between Trump and Netanyahu over war and broader regional policy.
According to Axios, in the months since the February meeting, people close to Trump have become increasingly skeptical of Netanyahu. A US official told the publication that several close Trump advisers believe Netanyahu was wrong on every count. The report also said that during a phone conversation last month, Trump had criticized Netanyahu over Israel's military action in Lebanon. According to reports, he called the Israeli leader a madman and accused him of not accepting favors.
Despite Netanyahu's objections, Trump last month signed a memorandum with Iran to extend the ceasefire and begin new nuclear talks. According to the Axios report, Trump asked Netanyahu to limit Israeli military operations in Lebanon and move towards an early withdrawal agreement from southern Lebanon.
On talks with Iran, Trump also said that he was closely monitoring the funeral of Iran's former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Trump claimed that he was killed in a joint operation between America and Israel on the first day of the war. He claimed that Iran was eager to resume talks, but both sides had agreed to put talks on hold until the funeral was completed. Trump said, they are begging to make a deal.
He further said, they are all there. One shot and we can eliminate them all, but we are not going to do that because then we will have no one left to talk to. Trump also said that he was surprised to see the mourners at Khamenei's funeral. He said, I thought people hated Khamenei. But these may be false tears.
