Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is anticipated to fulfill President Donald Trump on the White Home on Monday, with Washington’s just lately imposed world tariffs set to be a part of their talks.
“This assembly comes at a important second on many key points: the efforts to return our hostages being held by Hamas, the instability in Syria and the threats posed by Iranian proxies,” Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter informed Fox Information Digital.
“The current implementation of tariff coverage can even be mentioned. Simply as Prime Minister Netanyahu was the primary world chief to go to President Trump in his second time period within the White Home, he’s now as soon as once more the primary chief to fulfill with the president with regard to deepening financial ties and placing commerce relations so as,” he added.
Netanyahu final met with Trump in Washington on Feb. 4.
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President Donald Trump holds a chart as he delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs throughout an occasion on the White Home on April 2, 2025. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
In Wednesday’s “Liberation Day” announcement, a 17% tariff on items imported from Israel – a ten% baseline on all nations that took impact on April 5 and a further 7% – was scheduled for April 9.
“The worry is that these tariffs will harm exports of diamonds in addition to high-tech or protection methods like drones. If our revenue had been to be diminished because of this, this may be an issue,” Alex Coman, a value-creation skilled on the Holon Institute of Expertise in Israel, informed Fox Information Digital.
“These tariffs got here as a shock. Previous to this resolution, there have been only a few imposed, many merchandise didn’t have them and Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich eradicated people who existed,” including, “As such, I’m very optimistic that these tariffs can be diminished.”
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leaves for the U.S. after his go to to Hungary. (GPO)
U.S. complete items commerce with Israel was an estimated $37.0 billion in 2024, together with $14.8 billion in exports, up 5.8% ($813.7 million) from 2023, based on the Workplace of america Commerce Consultant. U.S. items imports from Israel totaled $22.2 billion in 2024, up 6.7% ($1.4 billion) from the earlier yr.
The U.S. commerce deficit with Israel was $7.4 billion in 2024, an 8.6% enhance ($587.0 million) over 2023.
The Trump administration reportedly calculated the tariff by dividing the commerce deficit ($7.4 billion) by the worth of imports to America ($22.2 billion) after which basically halving the determine to achieve 17%.
The topic was raised throughout a telephone name between Trump and Netanyahu on Thursday, with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán additionally collaborating. The following day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with the Israeli premier to “underscore U.S. help for Israel,” based on a U.S. readout of the decision.
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Gantry cranes on the quayside at Haifa container port, Israel. (Planet One Pictures/UCG/Common Pictures Group by way of Getty Pictures)
Trump’s transfer stunned Netanyahu, prompting him to start efforts to barter a discount of the tariff to 10%. Smotrich additionally signed an order to eradicate the final remaining Israeli tariffs on the import of primarily agricultural items from the U.S.
Jerusalem and Washington signed a free commerce deal in 1985, america’ first-ever such settlement, and since then some 98% of products have been traded tax-free.
Netanyahu and Trump can even talk about the warfare in opposition to Hamas within the Gaza Strip together with efforts to free the 59 remaining hostages taken throughout Hamas’ terrorist assault on Oct. 7, 2023; Turkey’s navy intervention on behalf of the brand new al Qaeda-linked management in Syria; the Iranian nuclear menace; and the continued battle to thwart the Worldwide Felony Court docket’s arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, based on the Prime Minister’s Workplace in Jerusalem.
A girl holds an indication throughout a protest calling to carry again the hostages. (Amir Levy/Getty Pictures)
“The highest challenge to be mentioned can be Iran as a result of it appears [nuclear] negotiations may start. I imagine Netanyahu will wish to warning Trump forward of time,” Ariel Kahana, a senior diplomatic correspondent for the Israel Hayom every day newspaper, informed Fox Information Digital.
“We noticed the report in regards to the U.S. sending a second THAAD anti-missile battery to Israel on high of apparatus America is already sending, and they’re going to wish to coordinate all of that collectively,” he continued.
“They can even discuss in regards to the warfare in Gaza, the hostages and the tariffs, which Netanyahu will attempt to a minimum of decrease. As regards to Turkey, I assume Netanyahu will ask Trump to place some limits on [President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan. Plainly each Israel and Turkey are attempting to increase their presence or actions in Syria, and it’d attain some extent that would result in a direct navy battle,” Kahana stated.
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Upon leaving Hungary on Sunday, Netanyahu informed reporters in regards to the significance of his go to to fulfill with President Trump on the White Home on Monday.
“I can inform you that I’m the primary worldwide chief, the primary international chief, who will meet with President Trump on this challenge, which is so essential to Israel’s economic system. There’s a very lengthy line of leaders who wish to do the identical concerning their very own economies. I imagine this displays the particular private relationship and the particular bond between america and Israel, which is so very important at the moment,” Netanyahu stated.
