Middle East crisis  top agenda for Trump-Netanyahu meeting

The crisis in the Middle East will top the agenda on Tuesday when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu becomes the first foreign leader to meet U.S. President Donald Trump.

The meeting is taking place after Trump took over the White House for a second term.

Netanyahu arrived in Washington on Sunday for the visit.

“This is an important meeting that strengthens the deep alliance between Israel and the United States (U.S.) and will enhance our cooperation,’’ Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon wrote on X.

Relations between the two countries have been strained of late due to the actions of the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, as well as criticism from Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden.

Trump is less critical of the Israeli military’s actions than Biden.

The meeting between the two politicians is also intended to prepare the next round of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist Hamas on the continuation of the ceasefire in Gaza.

Netanyahu would also meet with Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy for the Middle East.

Witkoff helped broker the current Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoner deal underway.

According to media reports, Trump and Netanyahu were also seeking to make progress towards an agreement to normalise relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.