From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Member of Netanyahu’s entourage says potential meeting with Trump still not scheduled
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
The timing of a meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former US president Donald Trump still has not been set, a member of Netanyahu’s entourage tells The Times of Israel.
The hostage families were contacted by the Prime Minister’s Office to ask them if they would be willing to stay in the US over Shabbat, one of the family members tells The Times of Israel. When the family member indicated their desire to be back in Israel for the Jewish Sabbath, Netanyahu’s office said they would find a flight back for them.
“They said there was a 20% chance Wing of Zion would be flying back to Israel before Shabbat,” says the family member.
Netanyahu’s office is considering two possibilities for a meeting with Trump — flying to Florida early Thursday before coming back for a meeting with US President Joe Biden and US Vice President Kamala Harris, or on Friday, which would mean staying in the US for Shabbat.
The family members add that the relatives of hostages and fallen soldiers on the trip have not received any information about joining Netanyahu’s meetings with Trump or Biden.
