Sara Netanyahu Stays Behind as PM Rushes to Meet Trump
Prime Minister Netanyahu heads to D.C. to discuss Iran red lines with President Trump, but Sara Netanyahu is a no-show on the flight. Ambassador Mike Huckabee joins the trip as Israel worries about U.S.-Iran negotiations.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took off for Washington on Tuesday morning for a high-stakes meeting with President Donald Trump, but the passenger list featured one major surprise. His wife, Sara Netanyahu, who almost always joins him on overseas trips, especially to the United States, was not on board Wing of Zion.
The Prime Minister’s wife frequently faces criticism for joining these official trips, but her absence this time is considered highly unusual. According to reports from Gili Cohen, preparations are being made for Mrs. Netanyahu to possibly join the Prime Minister in the U.S. next week instead.
While the First Lady stayed behind, another familiar face joined the flight for the second time. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee was seen boarding the Prime Minister’s plane. When asked why he was hitching a ride on Wing of Zion, Huckabee kept it light, joking that it simply meant he would get to the U.S. faster.
According to Open Source Intel, Huckabee told i24NEWS that there were “no significant gaps between Israel, US on demands from Iran.”
Before heading to the runway, Netanyahu gave a brief statement to the press. He noted that this is his seventh meeting with Trump since the President’s second inauguration, calling the relationship between the two leaders and their countries "extraordinary" and unlike anything in Israel's history.
The Prime Minister made it clear that while they will discuss Gaza and regional issues, the main focus is the ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. Netanyahu is heading to the White House specifically to present Israel’s red lines. There is significant concern in Jerusalem that the U.S. might focus only on the nuclear issue and ignore the ballistic missile program that directly threatens Israel.
The meeting was arranged over the weekend after Netanyahu requested the sit-down and Trump agreed. The Prime Minister is expected to return to Israel later this week, while his wife may fly out to join him for the following week’s schedule.