Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held lengthy talks in New York overnight Sunday with Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, and special envoy Steve Witkoff on the “21-point plan” to end the war.
Netanyahu, joined by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, met the Trump envoys for hours at his hotel. The discussions continued late into the night, ending shortly before 3 a.m. Israel time (8 p.m. New York).
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump
(Photo: Saul Loeb / AFP)
An Israeli official described the meeting as productive, saying, “There is a good atmosphere toward a conclusion. Significant progress has been made toward agreements.” The two sides worked on revising language in the proposed terms, and sources said the gaps had narrowed.
Netanyahu is expected to meet Trump at the White House in the coming days, with the two likely to hold a joint press conference. Trump is also slated to host Netanyahu for a private lunch.
At one point, Witkoff left the meeting while Kushner remained for further talks with Netanyahu and Dermer. It was unclear if additional sessions would follow.
Later Sunday, Netanyahu was also due to meet with representatives of the Yesha Council, which opposes Trump’s stance against Israeli annexation of the West Bank. The group said the decision ultimately lies with Netanyahu.
In an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu declined to commit publicly to backing Trump’s 21-point plan, though he cleared time in his New York schedule to prepare for the White House meeting, which his aides said he views with urgency given Trump’s statements about ending the war.