Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may visit the United States starting May 11 for a summit with President Donald Trump and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. The trip, first reported by i24News, depends on whether Netanyahu can safely leave Israel. It follows a recent White House meeting that extended a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
President Trump announced on Truth Social that a White House meeting on April 23 went well, leading to a three-week extension of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire. “The Meeting went very well!” Trump posted. “The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah.” He added that he would host Netanyahu and Aoun “in the near future.” The gathering included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, and diplomats from both nations. The agreement permits Israel self-defense actions while obliging Lebanon to stop Hezbollah from attacking Israeli targets. Tensions persist, with mutual accusations of ceasefire breaches. The first high-level talks since 1993 occurred on April 14. Netanyahu last met Trump in February to discuss Iran negotiations, ahead of the US Operation Epic Fury strikes on Iran. Trump has pushed for Israel-Lebanon talks despite regional conflicts. Recently, an Israeli soldier damaged a Jesus statue in the southern Lebanese village of Debel, sparking outrage. The Israel Defense Forces expressed “deep regret” in a statement on X, deeming it a “moral failure” against their values. The soldier and the one who filmed were removed from combat duty and given 30 days' military detention; others face review. The IDF replaced the statue with local Christian community coordination.
