Will the Meeting Between Netanyahu and Trump Determine the Date of the Israeli Elections?

SadaNews - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to travel to the United States next week for a new visit where he will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, to discuss a series of files that will have a direct reflection not only on the regional path but also on the future of the political system in Israel and the timing of the upcoming elections.

According to estimates, the answers Netanyahu will receive during the meeting, in addition to any political or security achievements he might secure, will significantly impact his decisions in the domestic arena, potentially pushing him to set a date for general elections immediately after returning from Washington, as reported by Israeli Channel 12 on Saturday.

The report indicated that Netanyahu might return from the United States with a clear political-security timetable that would reflect directly on the political scene in Israel, at a time when the scene is still awaiting a resolution on the recruitment law for the Haredim, which is considered one of the main sources of tension within the ruling coalition.

The meeting between Trump and Netanyahu is expected to address a number of central issues, foremost among them the transition to the second phase of the Gaza agreement, along with the Iran file, whether by discussing the possibility of executing a new strike or giving the diplomatic track another opportunity.

According to estimates, the two sides will also discuss the reconstruction of Hezbollah's strength, the possibility of carrying out another military operation in southern Lebanon, in addition to the relationship between Israel and Syria, the direction it might take, and the possibility of achieving a near-term political breakthrough in this file through reaching a security agreement, an issue that holds personal interest for President Trump.

The report noted that the issue of a pardon for Netanyahu might resurface in light of the judicial files against which he is being tried, with indications that Trump might attempt to exert new pressure to advance the pardon process.

According to the report, what Netanyahu will gain from the meeting will provide him with answers regarding a number of open paths before Israel, which will reflect on the political timetable, and consequently on the electoral timetable.

Israeli political circles estimate, according to the channel, that Netanyahu will decide after his return when to dissolve the Knesset and head to elections, depending on the achievements he might announce and the nature of the responses he will receive from Trump on the issues raised.

In the internal context, the report continues to follow SadaNews, indicating that Netanyahu sees that the law for recruiting the Haredim is not progressing toward legislation as he had hoped, which weakens the coalition's ability to endure. It also pointed out that the lifespan of the government is also linked to the "achievements" he might gain from the U.S. president.

It clarified that the "Agudat Yisrael" party will hold a meeting on Sunday to decide whether to vote against the recruitment law proposed by the head of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, Knesset member Boaz Bismuth, which increases the coalition's fragility.

The report concluded by noting that the stalled legislation and the lack of progress of the law in the form that guarantees the government's survival means that the time margins are rapidly shrinking, making the meeting between Netanyahu and Trump a decisive juncture not only in foreign policy but also in determining the fate of the government and the upcoming elections.

Source: Arabs 48