Posted on 04/08/2025 9:13:20 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed the meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday evening practically empty-handed.
Expectations in Israel were high that Netanyahu would be able to secure either a reduction in the 17% tariffs announced by President Trump last week, or a strong stance against Iran for resisting U.S. efforts at negotiations over the country’s nuclear ambitions, or possibly even positive developments in the issue of the hostages, after Netanyahu met with Trump and his special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
However, to the disappointment of many in Israel, Netanyahu left with little good news for Israel. Instead of announcing fresh sanctions on Iran or a possible date for a cooperative strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the U.S. president announced direct negotiations with Iran while Netanyahu sat next to him.
The apparent urgency of the U.S. request for Netanyahu to visit Washington appears to have been behind the Israeli expectations for significant news. Netanyahu announced the surprise visit to the U.S. as he was departing from a four-day visit to Hungary.
Unlike his previous visit, when Trump stunned the world by declaring the U.S. intention to take control of the Gaza Strip, rebuild it and transform it into a Mediterranean Riviera, Netanyahu's reactions during this visit were notably more subdued.
Even President Trump seemed to minimize the importance of the visit, which had appeared urgent at first.
“This is a quick stop — in and out,” Trump said of Netanyahu’s visit, “but we appreciate your being here.”
Netanyahu again thanked Trump, calling him “a remarkable friend to the State of Israel.”
Regarding the tariffs, which appear to be based on trade deficits, Netanyahu quickly attempted to appease Trump, announcing that Israel would “eliminate the trade deficit.”
“We will eliminate the trade deficit with the United States,” Netanyahu insisted, vowing to remove “all trade barriers.”
Israel can serve as a model for many countries that ought to do the same,” Netanyahu said. “Free trade has to be fair trade.”
However, the gesture did not appear to be sufficient for Trump, who mentioned the nearly $4 billion in aid Israel receives each year.
The U.S. trade deficit with Israel stood at $7.4 billion in 2024, which represents an increase of 8.6% from the previous year.
Netanyahu and Trump only briefly mentioned the hostages, with many of their remarks coming in response to questions from reporters.
Netanyahu spoke of the hostages and the situation in Gaza in his comments before the question and answer period.
“We spoke about not only the hostages, but about Gaza,” Netanyahu stated. “The hostages obviously is a human story of just unbearable agony.”
Saying that he speaks with the hostage families, the prime minister said, “The hostages are in agony, and we want to get them all out. Steve Witkoff, who is President Trump's very able representative, helped us get a deal that got 25 out. We're working now on another deal that we hope will succeed.”
It is not clear if Netanyahu was referring to Witkoff’s proposal, which Hamas rejected, or to the latest Egyptian attempt to renew the negotiations.
For his part, Trump praised Netanyahu’s work regarding the hostages, saying he is “working very hard” for their release.
“We are trying very hard to get the hostages out. We're looking at another ceasefire. We'll see what happens. But we want to get the hostages out. The Israeli people want the hostages out. More than anything, they want the hostages out. This man was working very hard with us to do that,” Trump said of Netanyahu.
Netanyahu also reiterated that Trump’s Gaza proposal was still part of Israel’s plans.
"We're committed to getting all the hostages out, but also eliminating the evil tyranny of Hamas in Gaza and enabling the people of Gaza to freely make a choice to go wherever they want,” he stated. "They should have that choice. And the president put forward a vision, a bold vision, which we discussed as well, including the countries that might be amenable and are amenable to accepting Palestinians of their free choice if they choose to go there.”
Trump also seemed to reaffirm the United States' ongoing interest in assuming control of Gaza following the war.
“Having a peace force like the United States there, controlling and owning the Gaza Strip, would be a good thing,” Trump said.
In his comments, Trump also said he hopes to see the Gaza War end soon.
“I'd like to see the war stop, and I think the war will stop at some point, that won't be in the too-distant future.”
“We also discussed the situation in Syria,” Netanyahu stated. "We've had neighborly relations with Turkey that have deteriorated, and we don't want to see Syria being used by anyone, including Turkey, as a base for attack on Israel.”
Netanyahu also praised Trump’s potential role in preventing a further deterioration in relations with Turkey.
“Turkey is a country that has a great relationship with the United States. The President has a relationship with the leader of Turkey,” Netanyahu stated. “We discussed how we can avoid this conflict in a variety of ways, and I think we can't have a better interlocutor than the President of the United States for this purpose.”
“Any problem that you have with Turkey, I think I can solve… We have to be reasonable,” Trump told Netanyahu.
No deals have been made with ANY Nation yet. Deals will be coming, let the World sweat for a little bit.
So be it.
RE: So be it.
Why? I thought the purpose is for a trading partner to LOWER their tariffs to American exports? Well, here he is — Netanyaho giving this offer. What is our response?
Two good friends meeting to discuss serious things you know I think they genuinely like each other in yahoo and Trump and I like Netanyahu and Trump too
RE: let the World sweat for a little bit.
Businesses don’t like uncertainty. If the purpose is for American businesses to be able to export products without barriers, here it is.
If a generous offer is on the table, I say we should take it.
Because the point is being made that even our VERY best friend, and Israel is, has been taken advantage of us on Trade. ThENTIRE WORLD has.
Hang tight. Deals will be made.
NOBODY wants Palestinians in their country! Not even Jordan where they came from for the most part.
Don’t y’all get it?
Kind of like American Blacks, nobody wants them.
The point comes first, then the deals.
NEITHER ONE IS GOING TO SAY ANYTHING.
WAIT & SEE WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS
One note, 52 percent in a very left wing Ruters Poll belive that the US has been taken advantage of on Trade.
(Because the point is being made that even our VERY best friend, and Israel is)
Are you sure?
Yes. And even they have taken advantage of us on Trade.
Trump issued a VERY aggressive statement about Iran and nuclear weapons within the last day.
I do not have the text, but Trump made it clear he will attack Iran if they continue trying to develop nuclear weapons.
RE: Because the point is being made that even our VERY best friend, and Israel is, has been taken advantage of us on Trade. ThENTIRE WORLD has.
Well, our very best friend is PROVING that she is INDEED our very best friend by OFFERING us exactly what we want. Is that how we treat friends? What signal is that giving the rest of the world who plan on doing the same?
The certainty is there.
Invest in America.
Israel says Trump’s tariff poses “a major challenge” to Israel’s economy. Israeli authorities contacted the US “in order to guarantee Israel’s exemption and/or reduce the taxes imposed”. In 2024, the US had a trade deficit with Israel of some $7 billion, according to data from the US Dept of Commerce.
BACKSTORY-—Trump (and Biden) restricted sensitive technological exports to China. As a result, China turned to cooperative Israel. China’s direct investment in Israel’s IT industry, especially in chips and semiconductors, now has increased.
In 2017, Israeli PM Netanyahu said China accounts for one-third of the investment in Israeli high technology, which includes US military technology the US shares w/ Israel, its strongest ally. In the ’90s, Israel sold military equipment and technologies to China, including the Harpy missile system.
This incident chilled relations between the United States and Israel, with Israel being suspended from its status as Security Cooperative Participant in the Joint Strike Fighter program. However, on 6 November 2005, Israel stated that it has been re-admitted into the program.
The US had to pressure Israel to stop sharing US military technology w/ China. Yet Israel still doesn’t restrict China from acquiring dual-usage technologies that could have military implications against the US, negatively impacting US families’ safety and security.
A succession of US administrations warned Israel about its growing tie with China, sharing concern about China using Israel as a backdoor to access sensitive technologies from the US.
The most vocal objection to Sino-Israeli ties came from the Trump administration. When former Secy of State Mike Pompeo visited Israel in 2019, he warned Israelis that the CCP “engages in spying through its commercial state-owned enterprises and presents risk through its technology systems. Pompeo said China’s actions posed a risk.
Unfortunately, Israel largely brushed aside the warnings. Like many other countries, China’s massive market has enticed Israel. Plus, the Israeli government hopes China’s good relationships with Arab nations may help Israel.
Seeking the advantage, the accommodating Netanyahu was working on a Sino-Israeli free trade agreement and even planned to visit China. But China’s siding w/ Hamas after the Oct attack alerted Israel to the reality that Communist China’s relationship with Israel is purely transactional.
Israel announced its biggest trading partner is the European
Union (EU), followed by China, and other global partners.
The EU is Israel’s largest trading partner, accounting for a significant portion of its trade in goods. In 2022, the EU accounted for 28.8% of Israel’s trade in goods, with 31.9% of imports coming from the EU and 25.6% of exports going to the EU.
China is a major trading partner for Israel, particularly in terms of imports. In 2023, China accounted for 17.7% of Israel’s imports, with total trade value reaching a whopping $24.45 billion.
Other Notable trading partners for Israel include Turkey,
India, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, and Netherlands.
Israel’s main exports are:
<><>cut and uncut diamonds,
<><>pearls and other precious metals and stones (33% of total exports);
<><>electrical machinery and equipment,
<><>mechanical machinery and appliances,
<><>sound and TV recorders and reproducers
<><>computer equipment (22 percent)
<><>and chemical products (11 percent).
Israel listed its main export partners: United States 26.4% European Union 22.7% China 7.19% Palestinian territories 5.98% United Kingdom 4.13% India 3.99% Turkey 3.03% (2022)
Israel’s imports $108.26 billion (2019 est)
Tax rates in Israel are among the highest in the world, with income, value-added, customs and excise, land, and luxury taxes being the main sources of tax revenue.
Israel was stupid to think that relationship was anything outside of exploitative.
It’s the same with all US businesses that moved manufacturing to China.
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