He Would Like to See Me. Netanyahu to Meet Trump

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to the United States on Sunday and meet with President Donald Trump in Florida a day later, an Israeli official has told AFP.

This marks Netanyahu's fifth visit to the United States this year for a meeting with Trump. His visit comes at a time when the Trump administration and regional mediators are pushing for the second phase of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

In mid-December, Trump stated to reporters that Netanyahu is likely to visit him in Florida during the Christmas holiday period. “He would like to see me. We haven't officially arranged it, but he would like to see me,” Trump said before departing for his Mar-a-Lago resort.

According to Israeli media, the meeting is expected to cover a wide range of regional issues, including Iran, ongoing negotiations concerning the Israel-Syria security agreement, the ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the next phases of the Gaza agreement.

Progress towards the second phase of the October ceasefire agreement, brokered by Washington and its regional allies, has been slow. The ceasefire remains fragile, with both sides claiming violations, and mediators fearing that Israel and Hamas may prolong the process.

The second phase calls for Israel to withdraw its positions from Gaza, replace Hamas with a temporary administration in Palestinian territories, and deploy International Stabilization Forces (ISF). The plan also demands that the Palestinian Hamas movement disarm, which poses a serious challenge.

On Friday, American news agency Axios reported that the meeting between Trump and Netanyahu was crucial for advancing the next phases of the agreement. Citing White House officials, Axios noted that the Trump administration would like to announce as soon as possible the formation of a Palestinian technocratic government for Gaza and Israeli armed forces.

Reports indicate that senior officials in Trump's administration are becoming