US President Donald Trump is reportedly going to meet Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he attempts to push the Gaza peace process, which his team believes Israel has been undermining
US President
Donald Trump is reportedly planning to begin the year 2026 with several major announcements on
Gaza. However, the direction of the peace process in the coastal enclave now hinges on his meeting with Israel’s Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu, which is scheduled to take place on Monday.
According to Axios, the two leaders will hold talks on the Gaza peace process at Trump’s Florida residence,
Mar-a-Lago. The report suggested that Trump’s team believe that the Israeli Prime Minister is delaying the
Gaza ceasefire framework. ‘Frustrated’ by the Israeli premier, the Trump administration thinks that Netanyahu could ultimately resume the war against Israel, as he attempts to persuade Trump to adopt a ‘more hawkish approach’ towards the issue.
“Bibi is trying to convince a one-man audience,” a senior Israeli official tells Axios, referring to Trump, clarifying that members of Trump’s administration, including Vice President
JD Vance and Secretary of State
Marco Rubio, no longer favour Netanyahu. “He has lost them.”
White House wants to speed up the peace process
Axios reported that the White House wants to move quickly with the peace process in Gaza and unveil a Palestinian technocratic government for the coastal enclave, backed by the
International Stabilisation Force. Washington is also considering convening a Trump-led Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos later in January.
Meanwhile, US Special Envoy
Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law
Jared Kushner have been coordinating closely with Egypt, Qatar and Turkey to advance phase two of the deal, which would involve Hamas handing over weapons and Israeli forces pulling back. However, Netanyahu has expressed scepticism regarding the demilitarisation of Gaza.
According to the report, he has frequently clashed with Witkoff and Kushner over the plan. White House officials also voice growing frustration over Israeli actions they see as undermining the ceasefire, including
IDF operations that Washington believes violate its terms. “Sometimes we feel the IDF commanders on the ground are just trigger-happy,” one White House official told Axios.
It is pertient to note that Witkoff and Kushner recently met with the Prime Minister of Qatar, the head of Egyptian intelligence and the Turkish Foreign Minister — guarantors of the Gaza deal — to map out issues to be raised with Netanyahu ahead of the Florida meeting. The Axios report revealed that at the meeting, there were also calls for Israel to adhere to the ceasefire and avoid civilian casualties.
In the Monday meeting, Trump is also expected to raise concerns over the West Bank, including fears of a Palestinian Authority collapse, settler violence and withheld Palestinian tax revenues.
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