[NEWARAB] Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday at his resort in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump said on Tuesday, a sign the two men are looking to ease tensions between them.
"Looking forward to welcoming Bibi Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida," the former US president said in a post on Truth Social, using Netanyahu's nickname.
The meeting will be their first since the end of Trump's presidency, during which the two forged close ties, and comes at a time of strains also between Netanyahu and Democratic President Joe Biden over Israel's war on Gaza.
The Israeli leader angered Trump when he congratulated Biden on his victory over Trump in the 2020 election. Trump has falsely claimed the election was stolen from him by voter fraud.
Netanyahu requested an in-person meeting with Trump during his visit to Washington this week, Politico said on Monday. The Israeli embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The planned meeting comes during Netanyahu’s visit to the United States. Netanyahu is set to first visit Washington D.C. where he will address Congress on Wednesday, and meet with President Biden on Thursday afternoon for a bilateral meeting. He is expected to join Biden to later meet with the families of Americans held hostage by Hamas.
Netanyahu's visit comes amid the war between Israel and Hamas after the terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, posted to his Truth Social, "During my first term, we had Peace and Stability in the Region, even signing the historic Abraham Accords - And we will have it again," Trump continued. "Just as I have said in discussions with President Zelensky and other World Leaders in recent weeks, my PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH Agenda will demonstrate to the World that these horrible, deadly Wars, and violent Conflicts must end."
Trump added: "Millions are dying, and Kamala Harris is in no way capable of stopping it."
In 2018, the Trump administration moved the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem – a relocation long debated in Washington – and one that showed the U.S. officially recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
During his administration, Trump also recognized Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights; withdrew the U.S. from the U.N. Human Rights Council; and brokered the Abraham Accords.
The Abraham Accords was a historic peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates that normalized relations and created bilateral agreements regarding "investment, tourism, direct flights, security, telecommunications, technology, energy, health care, culture, the environment, the establishment of reciprocal embassies, and other areas of mutual benefit."
Netanyahu will also address Congress on Wednesday, after being invited by the bipartisan leaders of both the House and the Senate back in May.
But Vice President Kamala Harris has declined to preside over his address, because she will be in Indiana for an event that was previously scheduled, according to an aide. Harris, who on Monday became the presumptive Democratic nominee for president following Biden’s campaign suspension, will not attend Netanyahu’s address. The vice president serves as the president of the Senate.
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