BICOM

Israel’s Prime Minister will visit the White House on 15 February for his first meeting with US President Donald Trump since he took office.

Announcing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming visit, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said: “Our relationship with the only democracy in the Middle East is crucial to the security of both our nations and the president looks forward to discussing continuous strategic, technological, military and intelligence cooperation with the prime minister.”

He added: “I think that with respect to Israel and the Jewish people specifically, there’s been no better friend than Donald Trump when it comes to protecting Israel, building a better friendship with Israel.”

In his own statement, Netanyahu said that he “greatly appreciates President Trump’s kind invitation to Washington and his warm words about Israel,” and he looks “forward to discussing with him the areas of cooperation between us that are so vital to the security and well-being of our two countries”.

Netanyahu has made clear that he intends to raise Iran’s regional and nuclear ambitions during his talks with President Trump. Condemning an Iranian ballistic missile test over the weekend, Netanyahu said he will “raise the need for a renewal of sanctions against Iran” as “this issue worries not only the US and Israel but many countries in the region. We will advance this issue because Iranian aggression must not go unanswered”.

Another issue likely to be discussed on 15 February is Trump’s pledge to relocate the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. In an interview earlier this week with the Christian Broadcasting Network, Trump said he would be making a decision on a possible move “in the not-too-distant future”.

He added that “it’s a big, big decision but we’re studying the issue right now,” and although “I’ve always liked the concept of doing it,” the issue “has two sides to it, it’s not easy”.