Mallory Wilson | April 8, 2025

(The Washington Times) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will move to eliminate the trade deficit with the United States.

“We intend to do it very quickly. We think it’s the right thing to do and we’re going to also eliminate trade barriers that have been put up unnecessarily,” Mr. Netanyahu told reporters in the Oval Office seated next to President Trump.

He said Israel “can serve as a model for many countries who ought to do the same.”

“I recognize the position of the United States. It says, you know, ‘We’re allowing other countries to put tariffs on us, and we don’t put tariffs on them,’” he said. “I’m a free trade champion. And free trade has to be fair trade.”

“We’re going to eliminate the tariffs and rapidly,” he said.

Mr. Netanyahu is the first world leader to meet with Mr. Trump after last week’s announcement of steep tariffs on goods from most countries around the world. Mr. Trump said the tariffs will rebalance trade relationships that have kept the U.S. at a disadvantage for decades.

As part of the new tariffs, a 17% duty was placed on Israeli goods entering the U.S.