Netanyahu to meet Trump amid fears of new Israeli offensives in Middle East

Benjamin Netanyahu is due to meet Donald Trump at the US president’s Mara-Lago resort this evening amid growing fears that Israel could launch new offensives against regional enemies, potentially plunging the Middle East into new instability.

- Jason Burke

Trump officials are reportedly growing frustrated with Netanyahu

The Israeli prime minister left Israel yesterday on his fifth visit to see Trump in the US this year.

High on the agenda in Florida will be the ceasefire in Gaza, which in October halted the devastating two-year-long war. Though the terms agreed for an initial phase have largely been completed, with Israel’s forces pulling back to new positions and Hamas releasing all the living and all but one of the dead hostages, immense challenges face the implementation of the second phase of the president's 20-point plan.

There are also fears that Israel will launch new offensives against Hezbollah in Lebanon, breaking a ceasefire established more than a year ago, or against Iran, which it accuses of accelerating the manufacture of ballistic missiles in recent months.

Gershon Baskin, the co-head of the peace-building commission at the Alliance for Two States, who has taken part in back-channel negotia tions with Hamas, said the timing of Netanyahu's trip was “very significant” for Gaza.