Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, before boarding the plane to Washington, said that his relationship with US President Donald Trump is an asset for the country.Netanyahu said that he has developed good ties with a number of world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but that there has never been this type of close relationship with a US president.Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump twice on his four-day visit, for a working meeting on Monday and a dinner on Tuesday. This will be the sixth bilateral meeting between the two leaders since Trump took office in 2017.The prime minister said he will discuss with Trump “the continuation of our joint struggle against Iranian aggression."The visit comes just 16 days before elections and flush with Trump’s declaration that the time has come to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.On Tuesday morning, he is expected to address AIPAC on the last day of its conference, following scheduled addresses by Benny Gantz, Stav Shaffir and Naftali Bennett.
After the AIPAC address, he will then hold a series of diplomatic meetings on Capitol Hill with both Republicans and Democrats in meetings designed to show that support for Israel remains strong in both parties. The meetings come despite criticism that Netanyahu is too identified with Trump and the Republican Party, and that the progressive wing of the Democratic Party is moving away from Israel.
Netanyahu is scheduled to leave Washington on Wednesday for the return flight home.