Benjamin Netanyahu told Donald Trump he would nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize on Monday, as the two leaders met for the first time since the U.S. launched airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in a brief military conflict between Israel and Iran.
During their meeting, Trump was expected to urge Netanyahu to support a ceasefire in Israel’s ongoing 21-month war against Hamas in Gaza, as international concern continues to mount over the humanitarian toll, with nearly 60,000 deaths reported—most of them Palestinian.
Meanwhile, Israeli and Hamas negotiators held indirect talks for the first time in six weeks on Monday, meeting in Qatar. Although both parties have expressed cautious optimism about a possible ceasefire, key issues remain unresolved—such as Israeli guarantees to end the war, and Netanyahu’s insistence that Hamas must be eliminated from Gaza permanently.
In response to reports that Israel is considering a plan to forcibly relocate all Palestinians in Gaza to a camp built on the ruins of Rafah, Trump was asked before a dinner in the White House Blue Room whether he supported the forced removal of Palestinians.
Trump deflected the question, directing it to Netanyahu.
“It’s called free choice,” Netanyahu replied, despite facing an ICC arrest warrant for alleged war crimes related to the war in Gaza. “You know, if people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave.”
“It shouldn’t be a prison,” he added. “It should be an open place and give people a free choice. We’re working very closely with the United States on identifying countries that may help fulfill what they always claim to want—to give Palestinians a better future. And… I think we’re close to securing cooperation from several countries.”
At the start of their meeting, Netanyahu handed Trump a letter, which he said he had submitted to the Nobel Peace Prize committee, commending Trump’s role in efforts to resolve conflicts in the Middle East.
