What Does Netanyahu's Third Visit to Meet Trump in Less Than Six Months Mean?

SadaNews - It is not customary for a Prime Minister of another country separated by thousands of kilometers to visit multiple times within a short period, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has broken this pattern with his third visit to Washington in just six months, to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, marking a new stage in his attempts to strengthen his political influence amid a volatile regional environment and increasing internal challenges.

Netanyahu's visit comes amid rapid changes in the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East, most notably Israeli and then U.S. military strikes on Iranian sites, followed by unprecedented Iranian missile responses into Israel.

The visit also coincides with encouraging signs from Washington regarding the possibility of achieving a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as Trump announced that Israel agreed to a U.S. proposal for a two-month ceasefire, describing Hamas's response to the "final proposal" as positive.

Trump stated on board Air Force One on Saturday morning: "There may be an agreement in Gaza next week... I am very optimistic, but as you know, things are changing from day to day."

Consolidating Gains

In statements to reporters before boarding his flight to Washington, Netanyahu said the strikes carried out against Iran by Israel and the U.S. "create a great commitment and also significant opportunities. The fundamental commitment is to maintain this achievement and complete readiness to prevent Iran from renewing its pursuit of nuclear weapons aimed at destroying us."

He continued: "But there is also a great opportunity, which is to expand the circle of peace to a degree beyond what we thought possible. We have already undeniably changed the face of the Middle East, and we have an opportunity for an even greater change and to create a prosperous future for the State of Israel, its people, and the entire region."

In discussions with Al-Jazeera, former U.S. Ambassador David Mak, a former assistant secretary of state and current researcher at the Atlantic Council in Washington, indicated that Netanyahu has clear objectives for this third visit to the White House during Trump's second term.

Mak explained that Netanyahu "seeks to showcase his enduring influence over Trump and top Republican leaders in Congress before his coalition partners and the Knesset majority, in order to thwart any potential American pressures that may be exerted on Israel."

Mak added that Netanyahu relies on this meeting "to ensure his political survival, as failure of this visit may open the door to new elections, which could lead him back to courtrooms to face corruption charges that still haunt him and remain unresolved."

Netanyahu's Objectives

As for Professor Osama Khalil, head of the International Studies Program at Syracuse University in New York, he noted that Netanyahu's objectives have not changed. He said to Al-Jazeera, "Netanyahu is primarily seeking to save his political future by undermining the ongoing investigations against him related to corruption files likely to lead to conviction and imprisonment."

Khalil added that "Netanyahu leverages Trump's ongoing support for him via social media, especially regarding his attacks on the Israeli Attorney General, to demonstrate that he still enjoys Washington's backing, despite his declining popularity among Israelis."

According to Khalil, Netanyahu is also aiming to "secure ongoing U.S. commitment to support the Greater Israel project through funding and armament, even through the deployment of American forces to ensure the implementation of Israeli objectives."

For his part, researcher in U.S. foreign policy Adam Shapiro stated in his discussions with Al-Jazeera that Netanyahu's visit is "part of a public relations campaign aimed at the Israeli public, as well as seeking a commitment from Trump not to reach any agreement with Iran that could anger Netanyahu or undermine his plans."

Testing Intentions

Regarding Gaza, Netanyahu said: "We are still in the Gaza arena, and we have achieved significant accomplishments there, but there are still tasks that remain incomplete. So far, we have released 205 out of 255 hostages, including 148 who are alive, while 20 hostages are alive and 30 are dead. I am determined, and we are determined, to bring all of them back, alive and dead."

Netanyahu pledged to "eliminate Hamas's military and administrative capabilities," adding: "I am committed to three core objectives: to return all hostages, to eradicate Hamas's strength, and to ensure that Gaza does not pose a future threat to Israel."

Regarding Netanyahu's acceptance of Trump's ceasefire proposal, Ambassador David Mak believes that "Netanyahu is betting on his ability to control the proceedings of the negotiations in a way that satisfies his hardline partners in the government, particularly concerning the expansion of settlements in the West Bank, and even the possibility of building settlements in Gaza."

Mak explained that reaching an agreement that includes the recovery of living and dead hostages "will alleviate the public, media, and military pressure on him inside Israel, granting him space for political maneuvering in the next phase."

In contrast, Shapiro expressed skepticism about the possibility of a quick agreement regarding Gaza, stating: "I do not believe that there is an imminent agreement. Netanyahu says anything at any time, but he does not commit to anything; his true goal from the beginning is the complete seizure of Gaza and the construction of settlements there, and everything else is mere distraction and deception."

Professor Khalil added that Netanyahu "does not intend to sign any permanent ceasefire agreement, as he did in previous rounds. He will continue to raise marginal issues and claim they are major obstacles, so as to show that reaching an agreement is impossible or only temporary."

He warned that "Netanyahu will violate any truce when he sees it appropriate to do so, without facing any significant consequences. His ultimate goal is to displace Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank and to annex the two areas with American approval."

While Trump indicated the possibility of announcing an agreement in the coming week, stressing the need to resolve several outstanding issues before the ceasefire can take effect, Netanyahu stated: "Based on the terms we have agreed upon, I have sent a negotiating team with clear instructions. And I believe that talks with President Trump can help reinforce this anticipated outcome that we all hope for."