Trump will not meet Israeli PM Netanyahu on US visit, phone call expected: Sources

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not get to meet with Republican candidate and former President Donald J. Trump during his upcoming US visit. However, a source familiar with the matter told Al Arabiya, that the two are expected to talk by phone this week.

Trump has publicly called for the Israeli Prime Minister to end the war in Gaza, claiming that Hamas would not have conducted the October 7 attack if he were in office.

During the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee last week, the former President urged Hamas to release the US hostages before his potential inauguration in January 2025, should he win the US election.

The relationship between the two has been tense since Netanyahu congratulated President Joe Biden on his 2020 election win, which Trump believes was stolen from him. US courts have not found any proof of irregularities to support his claim.

The war in Gaza has become an issue for Arab American voters, who are angry with the Biden administration for what they describe as blind support for the Israeli military’s onslaught on Palestinian civilians.

Trump’s coordinator for Arab and Muslim outreach, Massad Bolous told Al Arabiya’s Nadia Bilbassy-Charters, during an interview, that he is working with community leaders to earn their votes and explained the candidate’s policy stance on the war in Gaza.

Bolous said that the former president is against the killing of civilians and that he will stop the war.

Trump blamed the administration for its Iran policy which he said led to funnelling millions of dollars to Hamas and other proxies in the region.

Netanyahu is expected to meet with President Biden on Tuesday. He will also meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and will deliver a speech to the US Congress on July 24.

Tight security measures will be implemented around the US capital as pro-Palestinians demonstrations are expected. The ICJ has requested an arrest warrant against the Israeli prime minister and his defense minister for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The Israeli military operation in Gaza has killed over 38,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza Ministry of Health, seventy percent are women and children.