Center East reside: Donald Trump invitations Benjamin Netanyahu to be first international chief to go to White Home

Donald Trump has invited Benjamin Netanyahu to be the primary international chief to go to the White Home, in a significant concession to a US ally who’s needed by the worldwide legal courtroom for struggle crimes.

The invitation was made in a letter from the US president, which invited the Israeli prime minister to come back to the White Home on 4 February to “focus on how we will deliver peace to Israel and its neighbors, and efforts to counter our shared adversaries”.

“It will likely be my honor to host you as my first international chief throughout my second time period,” the letter learn.

Trump and Netanyahu have had a troublesome private relationship, however Israel stays the US’s closest ally within the area. Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Center East envoy, is alleged to have had a tense dialog with Netanyahu within the days earlier than a hostages-for-ceasefire deal was negotiated between Hamas and Israel, on the day earlier than Trump’s inauguration.

Since then, Trump has lifted a ban on supplying Israel with 2,000lb bombs that had been held again by the Biden administration in opposition to Israel’s overwhelming use of drive towards Gaza.

Donald Trump has invited Benjamin Netanyahu to be the primary international chief to go to the White Home, in a significant concession to a US ally who’s needed by the worldwide legal courtroom for struggle crimes.

The invitation was made in a letter from the US president, which invited the Israeli prime minister to come back to the White Home on 4 February to “focus on how we will deliver peace to Israel and its neighbors, and efforts to counter our shared adversaries”.

“It will likely be my honor to host you as my first international chief throughout my second time period,” the letter learn.

Trump has mentioned he’s “not assured” that the ceasefire in Gaza will maintain. Below the phrases of the ceasefire, Israel and Hamas ought to quickly start negotiating a longer-term peace that many worry will fail and result in a return to bloodshed following greater than 15 months of combating.

Extra on Trump’s invitation to Netanyahu in a second, however first listed below are a number of the newest developments within the Center East:

• Greater than 375,000 Palestinians have crossed into northern Gaza since Israel allowed their return on Monday morning, the United Nations mentioned on Tuesday. That represents over a 3rd of the million individuals who fled within the struggle’s opening days.

• A rise in humanitarian assist into Gaza has continued below the ceasefire. “On this previous week alone, roughly 4,200 vans carrying assist have entered the Gaza Strip following inspections,” mentioned Israel’s deputy international minister, Sharren Haskel. Below the ceasefire deal, 600 vans of assist are supposed to enter a day.

• The Jordanian air drive has begun delivering 20 tonnes of meals and medical provides to Gaza, a authorities spokesperson mentioned on Tuesday.

• The federal government of Qatar, a mediator within the ceasefire talks, mentioned on Tuesday that whereas complaints have been raised by each side, no confirmed ceasefire violations have occurred that might trigger the settlement to break down.

• Israel has vowed to go forward with its ban on the UN’s Palestinian reduction company, Unrwa, which has been advised to vacate its headquarters in East Jerusalem by Thursday.

• The top of the physique, Philippe Lazzarini, advised the UN safety council that the ban was “jeopardizing any prospect for peace and safety” and “harming the lives and way forward for Palestinians throughout the occupied Palestinian territory”.

• Quite a few US allies – together with Jordan, Qatar, and France – have rejected Donald Trump’s proposal that folks in Gaza ought to be moved into Jordan or Egypt.