US President Donald Trump on Monday met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, over the Gaza peace plan but steered clear of announcing any progress on the next phase of the ceasefire.
The two leaders held a private lunch at Trump’s Florida residence, with the US President saying ahead of the meeting that he planned to discuss “five major subjects,” including Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Iran.
While Trump later suggested that several issues were quickly narrowed, no concrete decisions were unveiled after more than an hour of talks.
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A central focus of the meeting was the stalled second phase of the US-brokered Gaza truce, which is meant to pave the way for an interim Palestinian administration, an international stabilization force and reconstruction of the region which is in shambles after over two-years of current war.
Trump played down the lack of visible progress, saying he was “not concerned about anything that Israel’s doing” and asserting that Israel had “lived up” to its commitments.
He placed responsibility squarely on Hamas, warning: “If they don’t disarm as they agreed to do, then there will be hell to pay for them. They have to disarm in a fairly short period of time.”
Hamas’s armed wing reiterated on Monday that it would not surrender its weapons. Trump nevertheless insisted, “Israel’s lived up to the plan 100 per cent,” adding, “They’re strong. They’re solid,” reported CNN.
Praise-heavy optics, divisions beneath
The talks at Mar-a-Lago were dominated by mutual praise.
“We’ve never had a friend like President Trump in the White House. It’s not even close,” Netanyahu said on arrival. Trump returned the compliment, calling their ties “extraordinary” and remarking, “If you had a weak man, you wouldn’t have Israel right now. Israel, with most other leaders, would not exist today.”
Netanyahu announced that Israel would award Trump its highest civilian honour, marking the first time it would go to a non-Israeli.
“President Trump has broken so many conventions to surprise people, so we decided to break a convention or create a new one,” Netanyahu said.
Trump said the recognition was “really surprising and very much appreciated,” and described Netanyahu as a “wartime” leader.
However, Trump acknowledged lingering differences, particularly over the West Bank. “We’ve had a discussion, big discussion, for a long time on the West Bank, and I wouldn’t say we agree on the West Bank 100 per cent,” he told CNN, reiterating his opposition to annexation.
Trump’s assertion on Netanyahu’s pardon
Trump also weighed in on Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial, saying a pardon was imminent. “How do you not give a pardon? He is a wartime prime minister who is a hero,” Trump said. “I spoke with President Isaac Herzog. He tells me it is on its way,” as he talked about his lobbying attempt to secure Netanyahu a Presidential pardon.
However, Israel president quickly disputed the claim. In a clarification cited by CNN, Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s office said, “There has been no conversation between President Herzog and President Trump since the pardon request was submitted,” adding that any decision would follow standard legal procedures.
Netanyahu is Israel’s first sitting prime minister to face criminal charges. He is on trial in three cases filed in 2019 alleging bribery, fraud and breach of trust, which he denies.
On November 30, he formally sought clemency, arguing that court proceedings hamper his ability to govern. While Israel’s president has the power to grant pardons, there is no precedent for doing so while a trial is ongoing.
Clear red lines from Washington for Iran
Trump’s most aggressive remarks were reserved for Iran, amid Israeli concerns that Tehran is rebuilding its ballistic missile capabilities following US and Israeli strikes earlier this year on its nuclear facility.
“I hear that Iran is trying to build up again, and if they are, we’re going to have to knock them down,” Trump said, adding, “We’ll knock the hell out of them.”
He warned of “very powerful” consequences if Iran pursued new nuclear or missile sites, though he said he still believed Tehran might be open to a deal. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons.
A senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader responded that any aggression would face an “immediate harsh response,” AFP reported.
Broader regional focus
Beyond Gaza and Iran, the talks touched on Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trump said he hoped Netanyahu could “get along” with Syria’s new president, who came to power after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad last year.
Netanyahu’s visit capped a busy diplomatic stretch for Trump at Mar-a-Lago, following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Despite repeated references to reconstruction and future governance in Gaza, Trump offered few specifics, leaving the path ahead - in Gaza and across the region - uncertain.