Middle East Conflict: Trump and Netanyahu’s Envoy to Hold Talks in the US
Israel’s Minister for Strategic Affairs recently met with the US President-elect Donald Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner. The minister sought to discuss which issues Trump would prefer to address before his inauguration on January 20.
Ron Dermer, a close confidant of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s Minister for Strategic Affairs, met with President-elect Trump on Sunday at Mar-a-Lago, according to two Israeli officials and two US officials familiar with the matter.
An Israeli official stated that the meeting served as an opportunity to relay messages from Netanyahu to Trump and to brief the incoming president on Israel’s plans regarding Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran in the two months leading up to his inauguration. “One of the things the Israelis wanted to clarify with Trump is which issues he would like resolved before January 20 and which ones they should wait to address with him,” a US official noted.
Key Discussion Topics
US officials mentioned that the Israelis sought Trump’s input on several matters, including:
- Efforts to broker a ceasefire with Lebanon.
- Post-war plans for Gaza.
- Israeli-Saudi normalization efforts.
Dermer also met with Jared Kushner, a source familiar with the talks confirmed. Kushner, who served as Trump’s Middle East advisor during his 2017–2021 presidency, played a key role in previous US-Israel negotiations.
Coordination with the Biden Administration
US officials revealed that Netanyahu had informed the Biden administration in advance about Dermer’s meeting with Trump. Dermer, who served as Israel’s ambassador to Washington during Trump’s first term, continues to be a pivotal figure in US-Israel relations.
The meeting underscores ongoing strategic discussions between Israel and the incoming Trump administration, particularly on pressing Middle Eastern issues.
