By Abiola Abiola
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to visit the United States on Tuesday, making him the first foreign leader to meet with US President Donald Trump since his inauguration for his second term.
This visit comes amidst pressure to maintain a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which has so far paused the ongoing conflict for 42 days, with talks for a more permanent peace set to continue.
Trump’s spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, in a press release, described Netanyahu’s February 4 trip as “a working meeting and visit with” Trump.
Leavitt said the meeting “emphasizes” Trump’s “continued support for Israel, and ensuring that brutal terrorists in that region have hell to pay.”
It was also gathered that the meeting is expected to focus on strategies for peace, countering mutual adversaries, and possibly discussing the future of Palestinian territories, given Trump’s recent comments about potentially relocating Gazans to other Arab countries.
The New Diplomat reports that the meeting also occurs against the backdrop of international legal scrutiny, with Netanyahu facing accusations from the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes.
It would be recalled that the ICC had issued an arrest warrant against Netanyahu for alleged war crimes.
