Israeli prime minister departs for US to meet Trump

By Zein Khalil and Betul Yilmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left Tel Aviv on Sunday for the US, where he is expected to meet President Donald Trump and other officials, according to local media.

Israel’s public broadcaster KAN said that Netanyahu, his spouse Sara, and an accompanying delegation departed the country “for a political visit to Florida.”

According to his office, the Israeli premier will meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday before meeting Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence at 22.30 pm Israel time (2030 GMT).

The office didn’t disclose details of the second day of the visit. Meanwhile, the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Tuesday could see a meeting with US Vice President J.D. Vance.

On Wednesday, Netanyahu is scheduled to meet US evangelical figures before later attending an event at a synagogue in Miami with his wife, where members of US Congress and leaders of the Jewish community are also expected to attend, according to a statement from his office.

Netanyahu will conclude the visit on Thursday, the office said.

The Gaza ceasefire and the transition to the second phase of the deal are expected to dominate the agenda of the Netanyahu-Trump meeting, according to media reports.

The ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, halting two years of Israeli war that has killed over 71,200 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured more than 171,200 others since October 2023.