Netanyahu to Skip AIPAC and First Board of Peace Meeting in Washington

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not return to Washington next week for the first convening of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace or for the annual AIPAC conference, his office announced. Netanyahu will participate in the AIPAC gathering remotely.

The announcement comes after Netanyahu made a surprise visit this week to the White House. Speaking on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews before boarding Wing of Zion to return to Israel, the prime minister described the trip as focused primarily on Iran.

“I have just concluded a short but important visit to Washington, during which I spoke with our great friend, President Trump,” Netanyahu said. “We have a close, genuine, and open relationship.”

According to Netanyahu, discussions centered first and foremost on negotiations with Iran, though Gaza and other regional issues were also addressed.

“The president believes the Iranians already understand who they are dealing with,” Netanyahu said. He added that Trump “thinks the conditions he is setting, combined with their understanding that they made a mistake last time by not reaching an agreement, could lead them to accept terms that would make it possible to achieve a good deal.”

Netanyahu made clear that he remains cautious about the prospects of such an outcome. “I do not hide my general skepticism about the possibility of reaching any agreement with Iran,” he said.

The prime minister stated that he conveyed to the White House that any agreement “must include the components that are important to us, to Israel, and in my view also to the entire international community, not only the nuclear issue, but also ballistic missiles and Iran’s regional proxies.”

The “excellent conversation” with Trump also addressed the situation in Gaza, Netanyahu said, though he did not provide further details on the substance of those talks.

“This was another conversation with a great friend of Israel, a president like no other,” he added.

In addition to Netanyahu’s decision not to travel, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid will also address the AIPAC conference remotely rather than flying to Washington.

Israel formally joined the U.S.-led Board of Peace initiative, which is expected to hold its first session on February 19 in Washington. Hebrew media reports, citing a U.S. official, described the convening as a kind of “fundraising drive” for Gaza’s reconstruction. Netanyahu signed Israel onto the framework but will not travel for the inaugural session.