Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a video statement recorded before his departure to Washington on Monday, said his eighth meeting with President Donald Trump will focus on Iran and that he will pay final respects to the late Senator Lindsey Graham, whom he called a 'true friend of Israel,' according to the Prime Minister's Office.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed from Nevatim airbase on Monday afternoon aboard the Wing of Zion aircraft, en route to Washington for a meeting with President Donald Trump. Before takeoff, Netanyahu recorded a video statement in which he said Iran would top the agenda of his eighth meeting with Trump since the latter's election to a second term, and that he would pay final respects to the late Senator Lindsey Graham, whom he called a 'true friend of Israel.'
The departure follows a weekend of security assessments. As The Zioneer reported Friday, Netanyahu convened a lengthy security assessment and his office announced the trip was conditional on security developments. The trip proceeded as planned. The meeting with Trump comes amid reports of U.S. pressure on Israel to avoid military escalation, as The Zioneer's Eye on Zion noted earlier Monday.
Netanyahu's statement underscored the strategic importance of the visit. He said he would discuss 'all issues on the agenda, first and foremost Iran,' and that his goal was 'to ensure the security, strength, and future of the State of Israel.' The visit also includes a tribute to Graham, who Netanyahu described as 'one of the greatest friends of Israel in all times.'
No details have been released regarding the specific outcomes Netanyahu seeks from the meeting, or whether the Trump administration's position on Iran has shifted. The trip is expected to last two days.
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