Trump to Press Netanyahu on Gaza Peace Plan Amid Growing Frustration With Israeli Leader

President Donald Trump — is preparing to press Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to support a U.S.-backed plan for postwar Gaza, even as administration officials describe the Israeli leader as increasingly isolated both at home and abroad.

The two men are set to meet Monday at the White House, where Trump will push his administration’s 21-point peace proposal. The plan, crafted with input from Jared Kushner, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and special envoy Steve Witkoff, envisions a permanent ceasefire, the return of hostages, and the establishment of an international trusteeship for Gaza. It also rejects Israeli annexation of the West Bank and outlines eventual Palestinian reunification under a technocratic executive committee linked to the Palestinian Authority.

Trump has voiced optimism about the plan, calling it “very close” to being realized. Netanyahu, however, has publicly vowed to continue Israel’s military campaign in Gaza until Hamas is defeated, a stance he reinforced in a defiant speech to the U.N. General Assembly that prompted walkouts by several delegations.

“Bibi is on his own island. Not just from us, from his own government,” a senior U.S. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe internal deliberations.

Tensions between the two leaders have intensified in recent weeks. Trump was angered by Israel’s strike earlier this month on Hamas officials in Doha, Qatar, which missed its targets and jeopardized sensitive peace talks. The move, carried out over the objections of some Israeli officials, strained relations with Qatari leaders and prompted Trump to apologize directly to a key regional ally.

“That’s a mistake you can’t afford to make,” a senior U.S. official said. Trump, they added, was “very heated” in a subsequent call with Netanyahu.

The president has since hardened his stance on West Bank annexation, declaring last week: “I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. There’s been enough. It’s time to stop now.” Officials said the statement was meant to demonstrate firmness in public while leaving room for private negotiation.

Despite his growing frustration with Netanyahu, Trump has done little to curb Israel’s expanding military operations in the West Bank or the settlement growth that has displaced Palestinians. He has also warned U.S. allies against recognizing a Palestinian state, calling the move tantamount to “rewarding Hamas.”

Netanyahu’s international isolation has deepened amid the nearly two-year Gaza war, which began after Hamas’ October 2023 attacks. A recent U.N. report characterized Israel’s campaign as genocide, and the Israeli leader has faced potential legal jeopardy abroad, avoiding flights over mainland Europe for fear of arrest by the International Criminal Court.

Still, Trump has resisted labeling Netanyahu a pariah, unlike many other democratic leaders. He continues to portray himself as a potential broker of peace in the Middle East, though former officials warn that U.S. diplomacy remains uneven.

“President Trump fancies himself a peacemaker, but what he is tolerating jeopardizes what little possibility is left of creating a Palestinian state as well as expanding the Abraham Accords,” said Richard Haass, former president of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Whether Trump can bridge the gap with Netanyahu remains uncertain. As one administration official put it: “He is going to try to get him to agree to some terms that then they could take back to Hamas and finally get something done. But it could also go off the rails.”