According to Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, the primary reason for Netanyahu’s “hastily arranged” visit to the US is not the hostage issue or the tensions with Iran. Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is expected to travel to the US for the second time next week, despite facing an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Reports in the US press suggest that Netanyahu will also meet with President Donald Trump during his visit to the White House tomorrow. Israeli media outlets have reported that the reason behind Netanyahu’s “surprise” visit to the US is closely related to the new customs tariff announcements made by Trump.

An Israeli official, speaking to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, confirmed Netanyahu’s visit and explained that the two leaders would address the newly imposed tariffs. As per the official, Netanyahu is expected to depart from Hungary on Sunday afternoon and return to Israel on Monday night. The urgency of the meeting is attributed to Trump’s decision to impose a 17% customs duty on Israeli imports as part of his global tariff strategy. It was noted that Netanyahu discussed the issue with Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, and Trump over a phone call in Hungary, following which Trump personally invited Netanyahu to the US for a discussion. The request for the meeting came from the White House as early as Monday, April 7th. The Israeli official noted, “It was a request from the White House. We had suggested later dates.”

Labeling this as an unprecedented moment both economically and geopolitically, the official highlighted, “The world’s leading power is imposing tariffs on almost every country, including Israel. We tried to prevent this by lowering tariffs on US products as a goodwill gesture, but Trump still decided to impose tariffs. The Prime Minister (Netanyahu) wants to resolve this as quickly as possible.” The source suggested that Netanyahu’s quicker access to Trump compared to other world leaders reflects the strength of their relationship, stating, “This is a sign of mutual respect and a close bond between the two. It sends a positive message for the country.”

Furthermore, it is expected that during the meeting, Netanyahu will also address the Israeli hostages in Gaza, relations with Turkey, the threat from Iran, and Hungary’s decision to withdraw from the ICC.