By Associated Press
WASHINGTON 鈥 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told President Donald Trump that he was nominating the U.S. leader for a Nobel Peace Prize as the two took a victory lap on Monday after their recent joint strikes on Iran 鈥榮 nuclear facilities, with both hailing the 12-day war as an unmitigated success.
The two leaders sat down with their top aides for a dinner in the White House Blue Room to mark the operation and discuss efforts to push forward with a 60-day ceasefire proposal to pause the conflict in Gaza.
鈥淗e鈥檚 forging peace as we speak, and one country and one region after the other,鈥 Netanyahu said as he presented Trump with a nominating letter he said he is sending the Nobel committee.
But as Netanyahu arrived at the White House for his third visit this year, the outwardly triumphant visit is dogged by Israel鈥檚 21-month war against Hamas in Gaza and questions over how hard Trump will push for an end to the conflict.
But in an exchange before reporters before the dinner got underway, both leaders expressed optimism that their success would mark a new era in the Middle East.
鈥淚 think things are going to be really settled down a lot in the Middle East,鈥 Trump said. 鈥淎nd, they respect us and they respect Israel.鈥
Trump has made clear that following last month鈥檚 12-day war between Israel and Iran he would like to see the Gaza conflict end soon. The meeting between Trump and Netanyahu may give new urgency to a U.S. ceasefire proposal being discussed by Israel and Hamas, but whether it leads to a deal that ends the war is unclear.
鈥淭he utmost priority for the president right now in the Middle East is to end the war in Gaza and to return all of the hostages,鈥 White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters ahead of the leaders鈥 private dinner.
Before departing for Washington on Sunday, Netanyahu praised the cooperation with the U.S. for bringing a 鈥渉uge victory over our shared enemy.鈥 He struck a positive note on a ceasefire for Gaza, saying he was working 鈥渢o achieve the deal under discussion, on the terms we agreed to.鈥
The prime minister met on Monday with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio before his dinner with Trump. Netanyahu is slated to meet Tuesday with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson.
鈥淚 think that the discussion with President Trump can certainly help advance that result, which all of us hope for,鈥 Netanyahu said.