Netanyahu Met with the President of Israel before Flying to Washington, Herzog Conveyed This Message

Best for you Israeli President Isaac Herzog met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday (7/6/2025), before the Israeli PM d...

Best for you Israeli President Isaac Herzog met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday (7/6/2025), before the Israeli PM departed to Washington for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump.

The meeting, which took place several hours before Netanyahu's departure, discussed several important issues.

One of the most important issues is related to the Gaza war and efforts to strengthen Israel's relations with Arab countries.

Herzog emphasized that Netanyahu's visit to Washington is a crucial opportunity to address one of the biggest issues currently facing Israel.

That is the release of hostages still in Gaza.

According to Herzog, a ceasefire agreement that can bring the hostages home is the top priority.

"During my meeting with the Prime Minister, I emphasized the importance of the visit as a significant step in advancing the agreement to bring back the hostages," Herzog said in a statement issued by his office, according to Anadolu Agency.

Herzog also emphasized that the meeting between Netanyahu and Trump would bring great opportunities for Israel.

"This political effort can become an opportunity to open new horizons for significant regional development," he said, without providing further details.

Netanyahu, who is expected to meet with Trump at the White House on Monday (7/7/2025), brings an important mission on his visit, namely to advance a hostage release agreement, which is seen as "the highest moral duty" by President Herzog.

"In his visit to Washington, the prime minister brought along an important mission, advancing the agreement to bring home all our hostages," said President Isaac Herzog in a statement, as quoted from Al-Arabiya

However, Herzog also realized that the decisions to be made regarding the agreement would not be easy and would likely require sacrifices.

"We all must remember that the costs are not simple," said Herzog, referring to the challenges and potential price Israel would have to pay in a deal with Hamas.

At the same time, indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas continued in Doha, Qatar, mediated by countries such as Egypt, Qatar, and the United States.

The proposal currently under discussion includes a 60-day ceasefire, during which Hamas would release 10 living hostages along with several bodies of deceased hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian detainees held by Israel.

However, many parties in Israel are urging for an agreement that would allow the release of all hostages in a single exchange.

This issue has become one of the more heated points of debate, considering the large number of hostages still being held, as well as concerns about the long-term future of the agreement currently under discussion.

Herzog and Netanyahu Discuss Relations with Arab Countries

In addition, the meeting also included discussions on Israel's relations with Arab countries.

Both Herzog and Netanyahu discussed opportunities to deepen relations with additional countries, particularly in the context of the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020.

The agreement successfully brought Israel to normalize relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco.

Herzog stated that the expansion of this initiative is an important step in creating stronger relations in the region.

On the other hand, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar recently stated that the Israeli government is interested in normalizing relations with Lebanon and Syria.

However, the Damascus side stated that such a step is still considered "premature."

Challenges Netanyahu Faces During His Visit to Washington

In the context of Netanyahu's trip to Washington, the Israeli president also emphasized that he does not underestimate the potential challenges Netanyahu will face in reaching an agreement with Hamas, as well as deepening relations with Arab countries.

"We understand the concerns regarding the potential costs of this agreement, but I am confident that Israel's Security Cabinet and security agencies will know how to address these challenges," said Herzog.

Herzog also emphasized that despite much criticism of the Israeli government's strategy in handling this conflict, success in bringing hostages home and achieving a lasting peace agreement would heavily depend on Netanyahu's political wisdom and his negotiation team.

(Best for you/Farra)

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