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Netanyahu Will be First Foreign Leader to Visit White House

In a significant diplomatic shift from the Biden administration’s approach, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be the first foreign leader to visit the Trump White House.

President Donald Trump extended the invitation on Tuesday, inviting Netanyahu to visit on Feb. 4, the Prime Minister’s Office stated on Tuesday. The meeting comes as both leaders seek to strengthen U.S.-Israel relations amid ongoing regional challenges.

It’s a quick turnaround from the last administration when Netanyahu was initially ignored, not receiving an invitation until July for a September 2021 visit.

Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL.) told JNS that he is “very glad to see my friend Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of Israel and our greatest ally in the Middle East, slated as the first state visit to Trump’s White House.”

“I look forward to working with President Trump and the prime minister on securing the release of the hostages and continuing the strategic objectives to secure the region,” Scott said.

David May, research manager and a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told JNS that “Biden and Trump started their presidencies at very different points of Israeli politics.”

“The immediate invitation is a strong indication of the importance Trump and his team place on the U.S.-Israel relationship,” May told JNS. “Trump has started his term with several moves that help Israel and a return to not having daylight between the two allies in public.”

Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) thanked Trump for inviting Netanyahu. “It’s crucial that America stands with our key ally, Israel, to promote security, stability and our shared democratic values in the region,” he wrote.

Reuters reported on Jan. 27 that Trump “teased the upcoming visit in a conversation with reporters aboard Air Force One, but didn’t provide scheduling details.”

“I’m going to be speaking with Bibi Netanyahu in the not-too-distant future,” Trump said.

An image of what appeared to be an invitation that Trump sent to Netanyahu circulated on social media. “I would like to formally invite you to the White House next week,” states the letter, dated Jan. 28 and signed by Trump.

“I look forward to discussing how we can bring peace to Israel and its neighbors, and efforts to counter our shared adversaries,” it adds. “It will be my honor to host you as my first foreign leader during my second term.”

–JNS.org and Metro Voice reporting

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