Meeting of Allies: Trump and Netanyahu Plan Meeting in Palm Beach

The former U.S. President Donald J. Trump will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday in Palm Beach, Florida, as Trump announced on Tuesday. The meeting will take place at Trump's private residence, Mar-a-Lago, and follows Netanyahu's address to Congress and his meeting with President Biden at the White House. Trump, who describes himself as the most determined ally of Israel ever to have occupied the Oval Office, announced this on his social media platform and expressed his pleasure about the forthcoming meeting with Netanyahu, whom he affectionately calls "Bibi." Initially, there was confusion about the date: Trump first announced Wednesday, then changed it to Thursday, and finally to Friday, allegedly at Netanyahu's request. During Trump's presidency, the two leaders were close allies. However, this relationship suffered when Netanyahu congratulated his American counterpart Joe Biden on his 2020 election victory—a step Trump perceived as disloyal, as he continued to falsely claim that he had won the election. Following the deadly Hamas attacks on Israel last October, Trump sharply criticized Netanyahu and Israeli intelligence for their inadequate preparation. In the subsequent months, Trump tempered his criticism and reinforced his support for Israel by affirming its right to self-defense and harshly condemning pro-Palestinian protests on American college campuses. Additionally, he advocated for a stronger use of force in the Gaza Strip.