Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has canceled his planned visit to Washington next week, his office announced in a statement on Thursday.

Netanyahu's office said the funeral "appears to have been postponed until the end of the month," eliminating the need for the prime minister's planned trip to the United States.

"As a result, the prime minister will not travel to the United States next week," the statement said.

Hebrew media outlets reported on Wednesday that Netanyahu had been expected to depart for Washington on Saturday, hold talks with US President Donald Trump on Monday, and attend Graham's funeral on Tuesday.

However, later on Wednesday, Axios, citing a senior White House official, reported that no meeting between Trump and Netanyahu was listed on the president's official schedule for next week, raising questions about the anticipated visit.

The cancellation comes despite the longstanding strategic partnership between Israel and the United States, which has recently faced policy differences over developments in the Middle East.

According to diplomatic sources, President Trump has advocated for an Israeli military withdrawal from Lebanon and Syria, while Netanyahu has opposed such a move, reflecting differing approaches to regional security and military strategy.

So far, neither the White House nor Netanyahu's office has indicated whether the Israeli leader's visit will be rescheduled at a later date. (ILKHA)