Beirut: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday departed for Washington for talks with US President Donald Trump. Netanyahu's discussions in Washington, held at Trump's invitation, are set to focus on issues of mutual interest to both Israel and the United States, as announced by the official Israel in Arabic account on the US social media platform X.

According to Anadolu Agency, Netanyahu emphasized that the issue of Iran will be at the forefront of his discussions with President Trump. "Of course, our goal is to safeguard our security while also expanding the circle of peace around us," Netanyahu stated, as reported by The Times of Israel. During his visit, Netanyahu will also attend the funeral of the late Senator Lindsey Graham.

Despite mounting tensions, Netanyahu expressed his intention to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York. This decision comes amidst calls for his arrest by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who last Tuesday labeled Netanyahu a "war criminal" and urged the US government to enforce an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against him upon his entry into the United States.

In contrast, President Trump has reassured that Netanyahu "will not be arrested" during his US visit. The ICC had issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. The conflict in Gaza has resulted in over 73,000 casualties since a severe offensive began in October 2023.