Netanyahu pushes off US trip to late July as Lindsey Graham’s funeral delayed

No meeting with Trump scheduled yet; PM had reportedly wanted to meet US president before Lebanon’s Aoun visits Washington next week

By Lazar Berman

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Today, 3:06 pm

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Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not be flying to the US next week, his office told The Times of Israel on Thursday, a day after a senior Israeli official said he would be traveling Saturday night.

Netanyahu will instead fly at the end of the month, the Prime Minister’s Office said, noting that senator Lindsey Graham’s funeral service has been pushed off until then. Graham, a longtime supporter of Israel in the US senate and friend of Netanyahu, died unexpectedly at 71 earlier in the week.

Netanyahu was expected to meet with US President Donald Trump during the trip, amid expanding back-and-forth attacks by the US and Iran and US-backed negotiations with Lebanon.

However, no formal meeting has yet been scheduled, and it is unclear when the premier will meet with Trump.

The White House has not confirmed the visit.

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According to a Wednesday report in Hebrew media, Netanyahu had been eager to meet with Trump before Lebanese President Joseph Aoun does so on Tuesday.

US-brokered talks between Israel and Lebanon wrapped up on Wednesday in Rome, with Aoun saying that “Washington has started to listen to us” and that the “Lebanese file is now on the US president’s table.”

The two sides disagree over the pace of the IDF’s withdrawal from two “pilot zones” in which the Lebanese army will assume control and verify the area is clear of Hezbollah weapons, and over the standards with which to measure success.

The Lebanese president has refused to engage directly with Netanyahu as long as Israeli troops are still in Lebanon.

Netanyahu has visited the US to meet with Trump seven times since the US leader was inaugurated for his second term last year.

This visit would mark Netanyahu’s first since the US and Israel launched their joint campaign against Iran in late February.

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