President Donald Trump said Thursday thatPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahumay visit the United States as early as next week. The potential visit comes amid heightened regional tensions, as fighting in Gaza continues and dozens of hostages remain in captivity.
Speaking to reporters outside Air Force One, Trump also addressedIran, saying he believes Tehran may be willing to reengage diplomatically. “I think Iran is interested in starting direct talks,” he said, without elaborating on any formal plans.
His comments came shortly after Sky News Arabia reported that suchtalks could begin within three weeks in Oman, a country that has previously served as a mediator between Washington and Tehran. Earlier Thursday, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Israel “does not rule out a diplomatic path to preventing a nuclear Iran,” but emphasized that the country would act if necessary to protect itself.
Trump’s phone call with Netanyahu on Thursday also coincided with an announcement by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán that his country intends to withdraw from the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Orbán made the announcement following Netanyahu’s arrival in Budapest, where the two leaders held a series of meetings and are scheduled to have a private dinner on Friday.
Hungary’s decision drew praise from Netanyahu’s office, which called it a diplomatic breakthrough. “Hungary’s withdrawal from the ICC is a major win for Israel,” said a senior official in the prime minister’s delegation. “It’s the first country to take this step, and we hope others will follow.”
Orbán’s chief of staff said the ICC had become a “political tribunal,” and cited its recent moves against Israel as a primary reason for Hungary’s exit. Israeli officials said Netanyahu personally lobbied Orbán to take the step, leveraging what they described as a “strong and special relationship” between the leaders.
The trip to Hungary has drawn domestic criticism in Israel, as it coincides with renewed violence in Gaza and the continued captivity of 59 hostages. Netanyahu’s office defended the timing, saying the visit was scheduled in coordination with his legal obligations and included key diplomatic engagements.
Israeli officials also said Hungary had agreed in principle to move its embassy to Jerusalem, though no timetable has been announced.