Trump invites Netanyahu to White House on Feb 4: Israel PM office

JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been invited by US President Donald Trump to a meeting at the White House on February 4, the Israeli premier's office said on Tuesday.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu is the first foreign leader to be invited to the White House during US President Trump's second term," the statement said.

A White House official confirmed an invitation had been extended to the Israeli prime minister to meet at the White House "early next week".

"Details on the date and time will follow when finalised," the official added.

The Trump-Netanyahu meeting comes after the US president repeatedly claimed credit for sealing an ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which came after months of fruitless negotiations.

After the ceasefire took effect, Trump touted a plan to "clean out" the Gaza Strip, calling for Palestinians to relocate to neighbouring countries such as Egypt or Jordan.

The idea has faced strong backlash from Egypt and Jordan as well as from European governments.

During his first term, Trump frequently claimed that Israel "never had a better friend in the White House", a sentiment often echoed by Netanyahu.

However, the Trump-Netanyahu relationship soured briefly after the Israeli leader congratulated Joe Biden on his 2020 election victory.

Trump, who falsely claimed to have won the 2020 election, accused Netanyahu of disloyalty, according to multiple media reports at the time.

Nonetheless, soon after taking office for his second term, Trump reportedly approved a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, which the Biden administration had previously halted.

Netanyahu praised Trump for providing Israel with the "tools" to defend itself.