Netanyahu cancels trip to Trump’s inauguration

The Israeli prime minister will not attend the ceremony in Washington on January 20, according to an aide.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not attend US President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming inauguration ceremony, The Times of Israel reported on Thursday, citing the prime minister’s senior aide.

Trump will take the oath of office and officially be sworn in as the 47th US president on January 20 at the Capitol in Washington, DC. The Israeli leader had previously been expected to attend the event.

Netanyahu’s senior aide did not elaborate on why the trip was cancelled. However, some media reports cited the Israeli prime minister’s recent prostate surgery, claiming Netanyahu had been advised to rest following the procedure.

The now-cancelled trip to Washington would have been Netanyahu’s first trip abroad since an arrest warrant against him and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in November. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.

The ICC’s decision garnered mixed reactions worldwide, with some countries expressing their intention to comply with the court’s directives, regardless of diplomatic immunity. Hungary, which is a Rome Statute signatory, said it would not enforce the warrant, while the US, which is not party to the ICC, has denounced it.

According to media reports, Trump has been in contact with Netanyahu over the situation in the Middle East, particularly Gaza. The two spoke in December, which both later described as a “very good” and “warm” discussion. Trump later reiterated his public warning that hostages held in Gaza be released before he assumes office or there will be “hell to pay.”

A Hamas official recently stated that the group had approved a list of 34 captives to be freed as part of a potential ceasefire agreement with Israel. Progress, however, has stalled after Palestinian officials reported more than 100 deaths from intensified Israeli airstrikes over the past weekend.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas militants launched a deadly assault on Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages to Gaza. In response, Israel launched a military campaign that has resulted in widespread destruction and massive loss of life in the Palestinian enclave. Gaza’s health authorities have reported over 46,700 Palestinian deaths.