Israel's Netanyahu, UAE billionaire among partygoers at Trump's New Year's Eve fete

US President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Emirati billionaire Hussain Sajwani at a glittering New Year’s Eve party at his lavish Mar-a-Lago resort on Wednesday, according to social media posts.

Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes in Gaza, arrived at Trump’s Palm Beach residence on Monday. He was seen alongside tuxedo-clad Trump at the party in footage shared by conservative influencer Michael Solakiewicz.

The guest list included Trump allies Rudy Giuliani and Sajwani, along with Eric and Don Jr., and senior administration figures such as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino.

Trump had joked that the Israeli leader could attend the event during meetings on Monday to discuss the fragile Gaza ceasefire and wider regional tensions. The ceasefire, however, has been repeatedly breached by Israel, with more than 400 Palestinians killed since it came into effect in October.

The Gaza ceasefire agreed in October is one of Trump’s biggest foreign policy claims since returning to power, though some White House officials fear Netanyahu is slowing the process. 

This week, Trump publicly brushed off reports of friction, praising Netanyahu and insisting Israel had "lived up" to its commitments while blaming "Hamas" for delays.

"I’m not concerned about anything that Israel’s doing," he said.

This week’s talks are the fifth time the pair have met in the United States since Trump’s return to office.

The US has spent hundreds of billions in military and security assistance to Israel over the past decades. In 2024, Washington also approved supplemental packages until 2028.