Netanyahu meets Trump amid tariff tensions and regional strife

• Meeting at the White House: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday at 6 PM Greenwich Mean Time (1 PM local time).
• Discussion topics: The talks will address the tariffs, the situation in the Gaza Strip, and issues concerning Iran.
• Impact of tariffs on Israel: The new tariffs may reduce Israeli exports to the U.S. by approximately £2 billion, potentially leading to the layoff of 18,000 to 26,000 employees.

Before leaving for Washington, Netanyahu emphasized that he was the first foreign leader to discuss this critical matter for Israel with President Trump. He noted that while many other leaders were also pursuing such a meeting to advance their economic interests, this underscored the special relationship between the two countries.

The meeting will take place at the White House at 6 PM Greenwich Mean Time (1 PM local time). Immediately after arriving, Netanyahu spoke with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. According to his office, the talks were constructive. The Israeli Prime Minister arrived in the United States from Hungary, where he met with Viktor Orban, among others.

Although personal relations between Netanyahu and Trump have not always been smooth, both leaders effectively utilise their ties in domestic and international politics. Netanyahu was Trump's first official guest after he took office in February. Following this visit, the Israeli Prime Minister intensified military actions in the Gaza Strip and accelerated judicial reforms. He also dismissed the head of the intelligence service and the attorney general.

Some commentators suggest that Netanyahu's decisions are inspired by Trump’s actions. Both politicians share the conviction of the need to combat bureaucracy and judicial power, which they perceive as obstacles to implementing their programmes.

The U.S. has long been Israel's main ally, providing significant military aid and diplomatic support. Although President Joe Biden has also declared support for Israel, tensions eventually arose between him and Netanyahu. Biden expressed concern about the situation of civilians in the Gaza Strip and blocked deliveries of certain types of weapons. According to media reports, he was so frustrated with Netanyahu's actions that he used vulgarities in private conversations about him.

Relations between Netanyahu and Trump in the new term are significantly better. The new president has shown many gestures of support towards the Israeli authorities, and Israel has reciprocated, for example, by voting with the U.S. against a UN resolution condemning Russia on the anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine.

Before Trump took office, a ceasefire was reached in the Gaza Strip, and the new president claimed credit for negotiating it. However, two months later, fighting resumed, with the U.S. consistently blaming Hamas for the escalation, threatening further consequences if it did not accept the terms of the truce.

In February, Trump announced a controversial plan to relocate the population from the Gaza Strip and hand over this territory to the U.S. Although he later softened his stance, the proposal was met with enthusiasm by the Israeli right and widespread criticism worldwide.

Trump's decision to impose a 17 per cent tariff on Israeli imports took many Israelis by surprise, especially since the day before, the country had lifted the last remaining tariffs on U.S. goods in hopes of avoiding reciprocal restrictions.

The "Jerusalem Post" described the situation as a betrayal, arguing that Trump had penalised an ally and that, even under the "America First" approach, such treatment of friends was unacceptable.

Meanwhile, the left-wing "Haaretz" wrote, "Trump may love Israel, but he loves tariffs even more," previously warning that his unpredictability could negatively impact the security of the Jewish state.

The United States is Israel's most important trading partner – in 2024, exports to the U.S. amounted to over £18 billion, and imports nearly £12 billion. According to a report by the Israeli Manufacturers Association, the new tariffs could cause exports to drop by approximately £2 billion and lead to a loss of 18,000 to 26,000 jobs, mainly in the chemical, metallurgical, electronic, biotechnological, and high-tech industries.