Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been convening a security assessment with senior defense officials for hours, his office said Friday evening. Simultaneously, the PM's office announced that Netanyahu will travel to Washington next week to meet President Donald Trump, but the meeting is subject to any security developments over the weekend, according to Doron Kadosh (N13) and Yair Goldberg.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a security assessment with senior defense officials on Friday evening, his office said, as the Prime Minister's Office simultaneously announced that a planned meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House next week is conditional on any security developments over the weekend. The assessment, which has been ongoing for hours, involves Israel's top defense brass, though details of the discussion have not been disclosed.
The announcement marks the latest in a series of official confirmations from the PMO earlier Friday. At 17:21 Jerusalem, the PMO confirmed that Netanyahu will depart for Washington on Monday, meet President Trump at the White House on Tuesday, and attend the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham. The PMO also stated that no journalists will be permitted on the Wing of Zion flight. The meeting with Trump had been anticipated for weeks, following earlier reports of discussions between the White House and the PMO, as The Zioneer reported on July 22.
The planned visit comes amid heightened security tensions, with the US and Israel coordinating on Iran-related matters. As The Zioneer reported on July 9, President Trump received an intelligence briefing on Iran, and the US is preparing for a prolonged period of strikes. The meeting with Trump was first agreed upon by the leaders in early July, as The Zioneer reported on July 4, amid nuclear negotiations with Iran.
It remains unclear whether the meeting will proceed as scheduled, as the PMO's statement stressed that the visit is subject to the evolving security situation over the weekend. The White House has not yet issued its own confirmation of the meeting.
7 developments
- DevelopingNetanyahu expected to depart for US next week for Trump meeting, PM's circle assesses
- StrongNetanyahu expected to convene several limited security meetings amid Iran tensions
- StrongWhite House, PM's office discuss Trump-Netanyahu meeting next week — no date set
- DevelopingNetanyahu convenes security cabinet to discuss preserving Israeli operational freedom amid US-Iran deal talks
Source and signal
- Open-source intake