The two leaders met for the third time this year as the United States works to broker a new hostage deal and cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
Reporter
7/7/2025|Updated: 7/7/2025
WASHINGTON—U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House on the evening of July 7 for a dinner focused on achieving permanent peace with Iran, securing a Gaza cease-fire, and expanding the Abraham Accords.
At the start of the meeting, Netanyahu handed Trump a copy of a letter he had sent to the Nobel Committee nominating the U.S. president for the peace prize, telling him it was “well-deserved.”
In response, Trump said: “This I didn’t know. Wow, thank you very much. Coming from you in particular, this is very meaningful.”
This marks the third meeting between Trump and Netanyahu this year and comes as the United States works to broker another round of hostage deals as part of a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
More than 50 hostages are believed to remain in Gaza. Before leaving for Washington, Netanyahu said that 20 of them are still alive.
“The utmost priority for the president right now in the Middle East is to end the war in Gaza and to return all of the hostages,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on July 7 before the meeting.
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The latest U.S.-brokered cease-fire proposal, backed by Israel, was recently submitted to Hamas by mediators, but the terrorist group has yet to accept it.
“I think we’re close to a deal on Gaza. Could have it this week,” Trump told reporters on July 6. “I think there’s a good chance we have a deal with Hamas during the week pertaining to quite a few of the hostages.”
During the meeting, U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff voiced optimism despite recent reports of Israeli soldiers killed in an ambush.
“We have an opportunity to finally get a peace deal, Mr. Prime Minister, as we discussed, and I’m hopeful for it very quickly,” Witkoff said.
When asked about the possible relocation of Palestinians, Netanyahu responded: “It’s called free choice. If people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave. It shouldn’t be a prison.”
He added that Israel is working closely with the United States to find countries willing to offer Palestinians a better future.
“We’re getting close to finding several countries,” he said.
Trump added that he had received “great cooperation” from several countries in the region, adding, “Something good will happen.”
The latest cease-fire collapsed on March 18 due to disagreements over the implementation of the second phase, which was intended to end the war and secure the release of all remaining hostages.
“We are working to achieve this deal that is being talked about,” Netanyahu told reporters before leaving Israel on July 6. He said that Trump “can definitely help advance this outcome, which we all hope for.”
Iran Peace Deal
The meeting comes just weeks after the United States launched airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities at Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz. In the aftermath, the United States brokered a cease-fire between Israel and Iran.
Trump told reporters on July 6 that his administration is “working on a lot of things,“ one of them being ”a permanent deal with Iran.”
He indicated that a peace agreement can only be achieved if Iran abandons its nuclear ambitions. He said that U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites resulted in their “total obliteration” and that Iran will “have to start all over again at a different location.”
“We have scheduled Iran talks, and they want to talk,” Trump said during the meeting with Netanyahu, touting the U.S. strikes on three nuclear sites that led to the cease-fire.
“They want to work something out. They’re different. They’re very different now than they were two weeks ago.”
According to Allison Minor, director of the Atlantic Council’s N7 Research Institute, Trump aims to translate the cease-fires into more lasting stability in the region.
“Following the momentum from the Iran ceasefire, Trump and Netanyahu have an opportunity to put the Abraham Accords back on track,” Minor wrote in a recent report. “If Trump succeeds in securing a new Gaza ceasefire, this momentum will only increase.”
The Abraham Accords, brokered by Trump in 2020, normalized ties between Israel and countries including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.
Trump wants Syria to be one of the next countries to join the accords.
Minor said the current moment presents a historic opportunity to reshape Syrian–Israeli relations, particularly following Trump’s decision to lift longstanding sanctions on Syria.
On July 7, Trump also revoked the foreign terrorist organization designation for Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham. The group, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, seized power in December after overthrowing then-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad following years of civil war. Al-Sharaa now serves as Syria’s president.
Netanyahu’s efforts to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia, however, appear to be on hold, at least until the Israel–Hamas conflict is resolved.
The Saudis have demanded a clear path toward the formation of a Palestinian state before they will agree to normalize relations with Israel. The Trump administration has on multiple occasions declined to confirm whether a two-state solution remains the official U.S. foreign policy stance.
When asked about a two-state solution during the meeting, Trump deferred the question to Netanyahu.
“You have the greatest man in the world to answer that age-old question,” Trump joked.
Netanyahu responded: “I think Palestinians should have all the powers to govern themselves, but none of the powers to threaten us.
“That means that certain powers—like overall security—will always remain in our hands.”
Trump–Bibi Relations
Netanyahu is staying at Blair House, which serves as the president’s official guest residence.
According to the Israeli prime minister’s office, before his meeting with Trump, Netanyahu met with Steve Witkoff, special envoy to the Middle East, followed by another meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Netanyahu is also expected to meet with Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on July 8.
Trump has generally expressed strong support for Netanyahu, including weighing in on the Israeli leader’s corruption trial.
“It is terrible what they are doing in Israel to Bibi Netanyahu. He is a War Hero, and a Prime Minister who did a fabulous job working with the United States to bring Great Success in getting rid of the dangerous Nuclear threat in Iran. Importantly, he is right now in the process of negotiating a Deal with Hamas, which will include getting the Hostages back,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on June 28.
“It is a POLITICAL WITCH HUNT, very similar to the Witch Hunt that I was forced to endure. This travesty of ‘Justice’ will interfere with both Iran and Hamas negotiations.”
Netanyahu expressed appreciation for Trump’s post.
“Thank you again, @realDonaldTrump. Together, we will make the Middle East Great Again!” Netanyahu wrote in a post on social media platform X on June 29.
Jackson Richman contributed to this report.
Source: Epoch Times
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