Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington for a meeting with Donald Trump dedicated to the dramatic increase in duties, the tension with Iran and the war in Gaza.

Netanyahu is expected to return to Israel on Wednesday, and will be filed with the trial for corruption on Wednesday.

Duties First Issue on Agenda

The Israeli prime minister arrived in Washington coming from Hungary and is the first foreign leader to meet with the US president after his decision to impose additional duties on products imported to the United States.

Netanyahu will try to persuade Trump to exclude Israel from 17% of the imports of Israeli products.

Immediately after his arrival, he met with US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnik and White House Commerce Representative Jameson Gre.

“I am the first foreign leader to meet President Trump for the crucial issue for the Israeli economy,” Netanyahu said before leaving Budapest. “I believe that this reflects the special personal relationship and the only bond between the United States and Israel, which is vital right now.”

According to Jonathan Rynhold, Director of Political Studies at Tel Aviv’s Bar-ip University University, Netanyahu will seek to extract an exception from the duties on behalf of Israel.

Such an exception will benefit not only Israel, but will also satisfy Republicans of Congresswho are currently not prepared to face Trump on the subject, according to Jonathan Rynhold.

Israel has tried to escape the new tax burden by taking precautionary measures last Tuesday, on the eve of Trump’s announcements, lifting all the duties left over 1% of US products.

But Donald Trump insisted, stating that the United States is charging a significant trade deficit with Israel, one of the main destinations of US military aid.

This trip to Washington is also a means of Netanyahu to play the game and show Trump that Israel is following him, “according to Yannay Spitzer, a professor of Economy of the Jewish University. “I will not be surprised if concessions are announced to Israel (…) and this will serve as an example for other countries.”

Netanyahu will also bring in his conversations with Trump Gaza warthe issue of hostages and the “growing Iranian threat”, according to the Israeli prime minister’s office.

On the subject of IranTrump has called Tehran to “direct negotiations” on a new agreement to limit Tehran’s nuclear program and has threatened Iran by bombing in the event of diplomacy failure.

Yesterday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Arakzi rejected the dialogue with the US saying it “lacking meaning”.

“Iran’s proposal for indirect negotiations is a generous, responsible and wise proposal (…).

For the time being, we decide to focus on what we have proposed, “said a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry today, adding that Tehran is waiting for the US decision.

“Threats against Iran, if implemented, will cause a rapid, immediate and overall answer,” he warned.