Trump welcomes Netanyahu: "We will talk about the disarmament of Hamas. Bibi a hero"

United States President Donald Trump welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to his residence in Mar-à-Lago, Florida. Among the topics under discussion, Trump explained, there will be the “disarmament of Hamas”, hoping that the “phase due to Gaza can start very soon” and “even before Hamas disarm”. The reference – during a press briefing – is to the plan for the reorganisation, security and reconstruction of the Strip.

The Tycoon, before the meeting, also stated that the United States is ready to strike Iran again. “I hear that Iran is trying to get back on its feet. If they are doing that, we will have to take them down again. We will take them down. We will hit them hard, without mercy, but hopefully this doesn’t happen,” the US president said, answering questions from journalists alongside Benjamin Netanyahu.

Before arriving at Mar-à-Lago, the Israeli prime minister met, again in Florida, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Palm Beach, the head of the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth – in the presence of the Chief of Staff, General Dan Caine – and previously the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.

Hamas, no to disarmament while Israel occupies

The Ezzedin al-Qassam brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, have reiterated that they will not hand over their weapons, a few hours before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting in Florida with US President Donald Trump. “Our people are defending themselves and will not give up their weapons as long as the occupation persists“, declared the new spokesperson of the formation, who adopted the name of his predecessor Abu Obeida, killed in August by the IDF in Gaza.
The disarmament of Hamas is one of the points of the peace plan for Gaza promoted by Trump and is part of phase two of the agreement, together with a further withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Strip, the establishment of an interim local authority to manage essential services in the Palestinian enclave and the deployment of an International Stabilization Force. The White House and the mediating countries are working precisely on this second phase to try to implement it, in the face of resistance from both Israel and Hamas.

Trump receives the Israel Prize, the first time for a foreigner

The Israeli Minister of Education, Yoav Kisch, informed the President of the United States, Donald Trump, by telephone that he will receive the Israel Prize. “Kisch announced to him that he will receive the Israel Prize, which has never been awarded to a foreigner, for the help given to Jews throughout the world. Trump thanked him and said he would consider coming to collect the award on Independence Day,” Israeli media reported.

Trump announces pardon for Netanyahu, Herzog denies

The statements of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, have generated a mystery regarding the possible pardon of the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyhau. Answering questions from reporters after welcoming the Israeli leader to Mar-a-Lago, Florida, Trump said that Israeli President Isaac Herzog told him that the pardon “was coming“. “He is a wartime prime minister – he added – he is a hero. How can you not grant a pardon? I spoke to the President, he told me it’s coming.”
Asked about Trump’s statements, Herzog’s office said the Israeli president had not had any conversations with Trump since the pardon request was submitted a few weeks ago. Netanyahu, the first prime minister in Israel to be indicted, has rejected charges of corruption, fraud and abuse of office. His request for mercy, submitted on November 30, claims that frequent court summons hinder his work serving the country. Under Israeli law, the President can pardon a convicted person, but this has never happened with a person who is currently a defendant in a trial.

President Herzog’s office further stated that “a few weeks ago, there was a conversation with a representative of Trump who inquired about the pardon request for Netanyahu, during which he received an explanation about the ongoing process for the request and that a decision on the matter would be made according to procedures, as explained to the Trump representative.”