Netanyahu arrives at White House to meet Trump for 8th sit-down of president’s term

WASHINGTON — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived at the White House for his meeting with US President Donald Trump.

It is their eighth sit-down of Trump’s second term, but their first since the US and Israel launched a war against Iran in February.

Netanyahu enters the White House through a side entrance that is only partially visible to reporters.

While Netanyahu has often used the West Wing entrance where he has been greeted by Trump himself, this is not the first time he has entered through the West Executive Avenue door, located from the public eye.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used the same entrance when he arrived for his meeting just before Netanyahu.

Zelensky’s relationship with Trump — like that of Netanyahu — has had ups and downs, though the Israeli leader is seen to overall be closer to the US president.

As was the case during previous Netanyahu visits, a small group of anti-Israel activists are staging a demonstration several blocks away from the White House, blaring a non-stop siren that can be barely heard from inside the building.

In Netanyahu and Trump’s last meeting, less than three weeks before the beginning of the Iran war, Netanyahu made a pitch for Trump to join Israel in striking Iran.

Ties between the two countries have subsequently soured, with top US officials reportedly frustrated that none of Netanyahu’s predictions about how well the war would go have come to fruition.

The two are slated to discuss the ongoing Iran conflict, Israel’s presence in south Lebanon, and efforts to expand the Abraham Accords, a White House official said.