Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed on Saturday night for the United States to meet President Donald Trump and give an address at the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) policy conference in Washington. The White House spokesperson announced that Trump will meet with Netanyahu during the visit.

As America’s major pro-Israel lobby, the AIPAC struggled to bring US politicians together on major legislation ahead of the annual conference as the bipartisan split still prevails between Democrats and Democrats. 

There are three major priorities for Netanyahu to fulfill in Washington.

Since the advent of Donald Trump, Israeli-US relations have entered a new era. Netanyahu will be received warmly at the White House where he will also meet top staff members including Trump’s son-in-law and adviser on the Trump’s Middle East peace process, Jared Kushner.

The first priority of the prime minister’s trip is to express Israel’s concern over the “Iran Threat,” especially the Iranian nuclear program. Both Israel and the Trump administration have expressed mutual opposition to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which they argue should be amended by the European states as it has emboldened the Islamic Republic.

While the US and its European partners may be able to agree on further action against Iran’s ballistic missile program, Netanyahu has to seize every opportunity during his trip to the US to persuade American media and the public that the Iran nuclear deal between Tehran and the world powers should be amended. Netanyahu will also try to encourage a more active American role to block and stem Iranian advances and influence in Syria.

The second priority during Netanyahu’s visit is to thank Trump. Last December Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a much-lauded move by the Netanyahu government. But it has fanned the flames of anger of Palestinians as they will simultaneously be marking Nakba, a day they mourn yearly as a “catastrophe.”

Meanwhile, the Trump administration also pledged to move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May and has frozen tens of millions of dollars in aid to the Palestinians in a bid to force the Palestinian Authority to the negotiating table. Both moves have left the Palestinian leadership outraged, while the Israeli government has expressed heartfelt thanks and Israeli right-wingers have been especially “grateful.”

The third priority for Netanyahu is to project his confidence back to his political base at home. Netanyahu is under investigation by Israeli police for alleged corruption. The suspicion is that several scandals might force the prime minister to resign or call an early election, which will shake the political power structure inside Israel.

However, Netanyahu has clearly rejected all the allegations through his social media saying “there will be nothing” to them. During his visit to the United States, Netanyahu has to show his Israeli supporters that he is still a reliable and firm political leader, strong as ever, and he has not been weakened by the alleged scandals, both against himself and his family.

Besides these three priorities, the Israel Anti-Boycott Act, which bans Americans from supporting any UN plan to create a list of companies operating in the Israeli-occupied West Bank to avert international sanctions against Israeli companies and businessmen in the West Bank, and the request of the Department of Homeland Security to expedite Israel’s membership into the US Global Entry Program which eases entry into the US for pre-approved travellers. to bring Israel and US bilateral relations closer together, are also on Netanyahu’s political agenda in Washington.

As a national leader who is still embroiled in corruption probes, Netanyahu’s trip to Washington might be his last official foreign visit, although he is confident the suspicions against him will amount to nothing.