Netanyahu to hold talks with Trump aimed at easing tensions

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit former US President Donald Trump at Trump's Florida resort on Friday, a meeting that could ease recent tensions between leaders who forged a close alliance during Trump's years in the White House.

Netanyahu's visit to Trump, the Republican nominee in the 2024 US presidential race, comes a day after meetings in Washington with Democratic President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who is running against Trump.

The long-time Israeli leader rearranged the travel schedule for his US visit to go to Florida for a session with Trump.

Opinion polls put Harris and Trump in a close race for the White House, leaving world leaders like Netanyahu, traditionally more closely aligned with Trump's Republicans than Biden's Democrats, striking a balance in dealings with the United States.

In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Trump called for a quick end to Israel's war with Hamas and a return of the hostages, adding that Israel has to better manage its "public relations."

"I want him (Netanyahu) to finish up and get it done quickly," Trump said. "They are getting decimated with this publicity."

Trump also criticized those who protested Netanyahu's speech to Congress on Wednesday.

The meeting between Trump and Netanyahu signaled that both are looking to ease tensions that have developed since Trump left office in January 2021.

Reuters