Former President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are set to meet on Friday at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence, marking their first meeting since Trump left the White House over three years ago. The meeting comes at a crucial time, amidst ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, as well as the 2024 election cycle.

Sources familiar with the planning have revealed that the meeting was requested by Netanyahu himself, following his recent address to Congress and meetings with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House. Harris, in particular, emphasized the importance of addressing civilian suffering and ending the war during her discussions with the Israeli leader.

The relationship between Trump and Netanyahu, once hailed as close and personal, has soured in recent years. Trump has been reluctant to speak with Netanyahu throughout the ongoing conflict and even criticized the prime minister's handling of the war in a Fox News interview, accusing him and the country of being unprepared.

The strained relationship between the two leaders has deepened, with Trump claiming that Netanyahu betrayed him by refusing to participate in a 2020 airstrike that targeted Iranian general Qasem Soleimani. Trump's former administration officials have described their relationship as a "love-hate relationship" marked by dramatic ups and downs.

During his tenure, Trump made several moves in support of Israel, including relocating the US embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and brokering normalization agreements between Israel and multiple countries in the Middle East and North Africa through the Abraham Accords. Netanyahu has praised Trump as the greatest friend Israel has ever had.

Despite their rocky past, sources close to Trump have acknowledged attempted outreach by Netanyahu in recent months, including informal communications. Trump's willingness to meet with Netanyahu, despite their differences, is seen as a sign of his potential approach in a second term.

While there is no set agenda for the meeting, Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire for a swift end to the Middle East conflict. However, he has provided few details on how he would achieve this goal. Trump believes that Israel is losing the public relations battle and has urged them to quickly finish the war.

Arab Americans who support Trump will be closely watching the meeting, despite his previous derogatory rhetoric towards Palestinians. Some have maintained their support for Trump, pointing to his recent engagement with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas ahead of the meeting.

Jewish supporters of Trump hope that he will prioritize discussing with Netanyahu what Israel needs to secure victory in the ongoing conflict. These supporters also anticipate that, if Trump were to win the November election, he would continue implementing pro-Israel policies.

Trump's meetings with foreign leaders in recent months, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, suggest that many world leaders are seeking strong ties with him in anticipation of a potential return to the presidency.

Overall, the meeting between Trump and Netanyahu holds significance for both the strained bilateral relationship and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. It remains to be seen what outcomes or agreements may arise from this meeting.