Netanyahu Heads to Washington for Talks with President Trump

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed for Washington on Monday for a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, where the two leaders are expected to discuss a range of issues of mutual interest between Israel and the United States.

According to the Israeli government's official Arabic-language X (formerly Twitter) account, Netanyahu's visit comes at the invitation of President Trump. The leaders are expected to hold discussions on bilateral relations as well as key regional and international developments.

Ahead of his departure, Netanyahu said on Sunday that he still intends to attend the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York despite calls for his arrest.

Last Tuesday, New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani described Netanyahu as a "war criminal" and argued that the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) should be enforced if the Israeli prime minister enters the United States.

President Trump, however, has stated that Netanyahu will not be arrested during his visit to the United States.

In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the conflict in Gaza. Israel has rejected the allegations and continues to deny any wrongdoing.