Perhaps for the first time, Netanyahu returned from his White House visit stronger than when he left
President Donald Trump, in a two-hour-long meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, laid out his plan for the voluntary emigration of Gaza residents and an American takeover of the Strip. Anyone who closely watched Netanyahu’s body language at the press conference will have noticed that he seemed more amused than surprised.
Netanyahu boarded the plane to Washington in deep trouble. Itamar Ben-Gvir’s resignation had forced Bezalel Smotrich to tack right by clarifying that if the war isn’t renewed, he’ll not only resign from the government but actively bring it down.
Historically, Netanyahu’s Washington visits have been ill fated. In his first term as prime minister, Netanyahu lost his government majority on his return from the Wye Plantation talks. At the time, Netanyahu tried to reverse course before his plane had even landed, but the right-wing tribe wasn’t having it, and his government collapsed.
During Trump’s first term, Netanyahu boarded his return flight with an American commitment to recognize Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria in his pocket.
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