Netanyahu makes his pitch with Trump

It could be a very tricky conversation for Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office today when the Israeli prime minister and President Donald Trump get together. The last time Trump spoke on the phone to Bibi, an expletive was used by the president. Netanyahu will be desperate to softsoap Trump and yet at the same time get his message across that the US cannot, must not, back out of the confrontation with Iran because it's now or never. The last thing the Israeli prime minister wants to hear is that Trump is desperate for the renewed peace talks to succeed so that he can end the war and claim victory. Netanyahu knows that victory against Tehran is still a long way off and however well the talks go, the likelihood is that the outcome will be bad for Israel. So there will be some sharp words today, I suspect, althugh Netanyahu knows how to play the game and he will want to leave the Oval Office with Trump's arms wrapped round him or at least holding on to his arm to show that he is once again back in his favour.