Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Visits the U.S.
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This message comes from Fred Hutch Cancer Center, whose discovery of bone marrow transplants has saved over a million lives worldwide. Learn how this and other breakthroughs impact the world at fredhutch.org slash look beyond. Today on State of the World, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the White House.

You're listening to State of the World from NPR, the day's most vital international stories up close where they're happening. It's Monday, February 3rd. I'm Christine Arismeth. Netanyahu is the first world leader to meet President Trump since the inauguration. Their meeting occurs as the future of Gaza, the wider Middle East, and Netanyahu himself are hanging in the balance. NPR's Daniel Estrin reports from Tel Aviv. Thank you.

When American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel was freed by Hamas this past weekend, his family and friends cheered. But they're worried about the next stage of the deal, freeing Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners. Rabbi Steve Bernstein. We just hope and pray that the Americans do everything that they can to ensure that the Israeli government...

has the strength and the courage to make sure that we reach the second stage of the deal and that all of the hostages come home as soon as possible. Negotiations for the second stage of the ceasefire began today. What happens next in Gaza is not the only major question Prime Minister Netanyahu faces. He spoke before leaving for Washington.

The decisions we made in the war have already changed the face of the Middle East. Our decisions and the courage of our soldiers have redrawn the map.

But I believe that working closely with President Trump, we can redraw it even further and for the better. President Trump wants the Gaza ceasefire to continue till all Israeli hostages are freed. But Netanyahu's right-wing governing partner, Bitzel El-Smotrich, has threatened to topple the government if Israel doesn't return to war in Gaza and destroy Hamas. I think Netanyahu wants

wants exactly what Trump offers him, but I think his own coalition has quite a different vision. Hebrew University politics professor Gail Talshir. The Tuesday meeting is actually critical to Netanyahu's vision

ability to survive as the leader of Israel and to make sure that his coalition stays intact. Israel's centrist opposition leader, Yair Lapid, said he'd give Netanyahu a political safety net so the hostage release deal can continue.

What Trump and Netanyahu really want is diplomatic relations between Israel and Arab heavyweight Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is demanding a pathway toward creating an independent Palestinian state. Netanyahu's government opposes a Palestinian state, calling it a threat after Hamas's deadly October 7th attack in 2023.

Victoria Coates at the Heritage Foundation was a deputy national security advisor during Trump's first term when he also tried to broker this deal. As much as we might want a deal with Saudi Arabia, you know, Israel is going to, particularly after October 7th, remain very, very mindful of its internal security. It has to.

So, you know, the deal that looked like it was pretty imminent in 2020-2021 timeframe may take a little bit longer now. Trump has also floated the prospect of relocating Palestinians from the devastated Gaza Strip to neighboring Egypt and Jordan. Arab countries, including Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, have firmly rejected the idea. And Palestinians have too.

At a rally in Tel Aviv, Israeli TV actor Lior Ashkenazi said, extremist forces at home will try to thwart the ceasefire deal and return to the war. This must not happen. In Washington, Netanyahu is going into a fateful meeting with Trump, expecting a smoother relationship than he had with President Biden, and trying to get on the same page after a tumultuous period of war.

Daniel Estrin, NPR News, Tel Aviv. That's the state of the world from NPR. Find more reporting on the Mideast at npr.org slash Mideast updates. Thanks for listening. This message comes from Charles Schwab. When it comes to managing your wealth, Schwab gives you more choices, like full-service wealth management and advice when you need it. You can also invest on your own and trade on Thinkorswim. Visit schwab.com to learn more.

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