Bibi meets Trump: What are they going to talk about?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu landed in Washington on Monday and is set to meet President Trump on Tuesday morning (Washington time), marking a historic moment as the first foreign leader to meet with Trump in his second term.

For the president, it is clear that a key priority will be a swift advancement in normalisation between Israel and Saudi Arabia. For Netanyahu, the challenge will be balancing his desire to promote normalisation and progress into the second phase of the deal with Hamas while also maintaining his coalition.

The visit comes as Trump’s administration is still shaping its Middle East policy. Israeli officials believe the trip could influence the White House’s approach to the region. “Only after this meeting will it be possible to fully assess Trump’s policy direction,” an Israeli official was quoted by Ynet News.

These will be the three main discussion topics.

The main focus of the Trump administration in the Middle East is to advance normalisation between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Trump sees Saudi Arabia as the key to regional change, the removal of Hamas, the elimination of Iran’s nuclear program, and the flow of money into the US economy.

Chaim Levinson reports in Haaretz that Jerusalem and Riyadh have already agreed on most of the details during talks held under the Biden administration. Israel and Saudi Arabia will sign a normalisation agreement that includes significant economic cooperation. In return, the United States will supply Saudi Arabia with nuclear reactors for electricity generation, alongside strict oversight mechanisms, and enter a defence pact with Riyadh. The deal will also include a commitment to a “path to a Palestinian state.” Despite denials, Levinson reports this wording is agreed upon and coordinated with Israel and will be issued as an American declaration that is binding on Israel.