Former US President Donald Trump welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday for a high-stakes lunch meeting. The gathering, captured in a handshake photograph by Reuters, covered a wide range of contentious issues from the stalled Gaza peace plan to Iran's nuclear ambitions, while also sparking controversy over a potential pardon and a prestigious award.
Gaza Disarmament and Regional Threats
Central to their discussions was the ongoing situation in Gaza. Trump issued a stark warning to Hamas, stating the militant group would be given a "very short period of time to disarm" as part of the ceasefire agreement. He declared that failure to comply would result in "hell to pay" and "horrible" consequences. In a notable claim, Trump suggested that unnamed countries which had previously supported Hamas were now prepared to "wipe out" the group if it refused to lay down its arms. This appeared to reference the UN-authorised international stabilisation force, though no participating nation has pledged offensive action beyond peacekeeping duties.
Iran, Missiles, and the Spectre of Strikes
The leaders also aligned on a hawkish stance towards Iran. When asked if he would support new Israeli strikes to curb Iran's ballistic missile programme, Trump responded, "If they will continue with the missiles, yes." He added that Iran had resumed work on "the nuclear" and the US was ready to strike "immediately". During a post-lunch news conference, Trump seemed to conflate Iran's nuclear activities with its missile buildup, creating ambiguity over whether missiles alone could trigger military action. He quipped about not wanting to "waste a lot of fuel" on the long-range B-2 bombers, referencing their 37-hour round trip.
West Bank Disagreement and Controversial Claims
On the issue of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Trump admitted he and Netanyahu did not agree "a hundred percent," but promised a conclusion would be reached. He declined to specify the nature of their disagreement, saying it would be announced later. This follows reports that the Trump administration opposes formal annexation of the territory, home to around 3 million Palestinians and over 600,000 Israeli settlers.
The meeting was also marked by contentious personal claims. Trump asserted that Israel's President, Isaac Herzog, had told him a pardon for Netanyahu was "on its way." Netanyahu is the first sitting Israeli prime minister to face criminal charges, denying allegations of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. Herzog's office swiftly denied any such recent conversation with Trump.
Furthermore, Netanyahu revealed that Trump would become the first non-Israeli recipient of the Israel Prize, awarded for his "special contribution to the Jewish people." The honour reportedly recognises Trump's move of the US embassy to Jerusalem, recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, scrapping the Iran nuclear deal, and efforts to secure Israeli hostages in Gaza. This announcement came after Trump was seen complaining about not receiving a Nobel Peace Prize, despite his unverified claims of settling eight wars.
Trump also made a false claim regarding hostage releases, stating, "every hostage, just about, that was released was released because of me … none were released in the Biden administration." In reality, 107 hostages were freed in 2023 under President Joe Biden, with another 33 released in early 2025 via a deal negotiated before Biden's term ended.
