No US pressure on Israel to withdraw from Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Israeli public diplomacy chief says

Tzipi Hotovely, head of Israel's Public Diplomacy Directorate, asserted that the United States is not pressuring Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza or Lebanon. Following a meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, Hotovely told reporters that there is a clear understanding of how Israel should operate in Gaza, stating that reconstruction will only begin after full demilitarization.

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No, I'm Israel's number one friend. Lindsey is number two.

Hotovely also highlighted the strong alignment between the US and Israel regarding Iran. "There is full coordination. There is complete understanding that our shared objective is to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon," she said, describing the meeting as "excellent." The discussions primarily revolved around Iran and the expansion of the Abraham Accords.

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There is an understanding of how Israel should operate in Gaza. Israel will remain on the Yellow Line, and reconstruction will not begin before full demilitarization.

During the meeting, Trump reportedly emphasized his strong support for Israel. When Netanyahu referred to Senator Lindsey Graham as Israel's "number one friend," Trump interjected, claiming the title for himself. Hotovely also clarified that sensitive topics such as the Temple Mount, F-35s, or recent assassination attempts and drone strikes were not discussed. Discussions about Saudi Arabia were part of a broader regional context, not specifically its civilian nuclear plan.

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There is full coordination. There is complete understanding that our shared objective is to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Israel and the United States are fully aligned in their understanding of that goal.