What's next for Netanyahu, Trump as PM returns to Washington amid new Middle East order - analysis

Benjamin Netanyahu returns to Washington after a five-and-a-half-month gap to meet Donald Trump, with Iran, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia on the agenda. The meeting comes amid ongoing US-Iran war and efforts to shape a postwar regional order. Netanyahu seeks clarity on Trump's endgame, Israel's role, and assurances against a premature ceasefire.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to fly to Washington on Monday for a meeting with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, after a five-and-a-half-month gap — the longest since Trump returned to office. The meeting comes amid the ongoing US-Iran war that began on February 28, just over two weeks after their last meeting, fueling speculation that Netanyahu pushed Trump into military action. Trump has pushed back against that narrative, saying Netanyahu 'knows who is boss.' Netanyahu has several key issues to clarify: what victory looks like in Trump's eyes, what Israel's role should be, and assurances that Trump will not call off the war before Israel achieves its objectives. The nightmare scenario for Israel is to begin another campaign, expose itself to Iranian missiles, and then have Trump say 'Enough, I've got a deal.' Lebanon and Syria are also high on the agenda. Trump's original MoU with Iran tied a ceasefire in Iran to an Israeli ceasefire in Lebanon, something not in Israel's interest. While events on the ground have overturned that understanding, Netanyahu will want to know what Trump now envisions. Trump has met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi, and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, pointing to an American attempt to build a new postwar regional architecture. Two other issues have burst onto the scene: Trump's signal of intent to sell F-35s to Turkey, despite its anti-Israel policy, and the US-Saudi civilian nuclear agreement, including whether Riyadh will be allowed to enrich uranium and whether normalization with Israel is a precondition. Trump has said the Saudis will not enrich and the deal requires joining the Abraham Accords. Gaza, while dropped in priority due to the Iran war, remains on the agenda. The two leaders will discuss efforts to dismantle Hamas, a precondition for Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza. The underlying question is similar: how does Trump envision the postwar order, and will Israel's security interests be sacrificed?