US President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a high-stakes private lunch at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Monday. The meeting, aimed at advancing peace efforts in Gaza and addressing broader regional threats, concluded without any announcement of concrete progress on the crucial next phase of the ceasefire.
Gaza Ceasefire: The Elusive Second Phase
A central item on the agenda was the stalled second phase of the US-brokered Gaza truce. This phase is intended to establish an interim Palestinian administration, deploy an international stabilization force, and kickstart the massive reconstruction of the war-ravaged region. Despite over an hour of discussions, no breakthroughs were made public.
President Trump downplayed the lack of visible advancement, expressing unwavering support for Israel's actions. "I am not concerned about anything that Israel's doing," he stated, asserting that Israel had "lived up to the plan 100 per cent." He shifted the onus entirely onto Hamas, issuing a stark warning: "If they don't disarm as they agreed to do, then there will be hell to pay for them. They have to disarm in a fairly short period of time." This stance came even as Hamas's armed wing reiterated its refusal to surrender weapons.
Public Praise and Private Divergences
The optics of the meeting were dominated by mutual admiration. Upon arrival, Netanyahu hailed Trump, saying, "We've never had a friend like President Trump in the White House. It's not even close." Trump reciprocated, calling their bond "extraordinary" and crediting Netanyahu's strength for Israel's security. In a significant gesture, Netanyahu announced Israel would bestow its highest civilian honour on Trump, a first for a non-Israeli.
Beneath the surface, however, differences persisted. Trump openly acknowledged a longstanding disagreement regarding the occupied West Bank, telling CNN, "I wouldn't say we agree on the West Bank 100 per cent," and reiterating his opposition to annexation.
Controversial Pardon Claim and Stark Iran Warning
Trump sparked controversy by weighing in on Netanyahu's ongoing corruption trial, suggesting a presidential pardon was imminent. "How do you not give a pardon? He is a wartime prime minister who is a hero," Trump said, claiming he had discussed it with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. However, Herzog's office swiftly disputed this, clarifying that no such conversation had occurred since the pardon request was submitted and that any decision would follow standard legal procedures.
The US President reserved his most aggressive remarks for Iran. Addressing Israeli concerns about Tehran rebuilding its ballistic missile capabilities, Trump declared, "I hear that Iran is trying to build up again, and if they are, we're going to have to knock them down... We'll knock the hell out of them." He warned of "very powerful" consequences if Iran pursued new nuclear or missile sites, though he left the door open for a potential deal. A senior Iranian adviser responded that any aggression would meet an "immediate harsh response."
The talks also touched on Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Despite the broad agenda and repeated mentions of Gaza's reconstruction, the summit ended with few specifics, leaving the path forward for the region shrouded in uncertainty. This meeting followed other diplomatic engagements for Trump at Mar-a-Lago, including talks with Ukrainian and Russian leaders.
