Netanyahu, Pompeo to meet in Lisbon as Israeli PM needs ‘political boost’ at home

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday in Lisbon, the US State Department said.

Pompeo, accompanying President Donald Trump at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in London, will be in Lisbon on Wednesday and Thursday. The secretary will meet with Portuguese PM Antonio Costa and Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva.

The hastily arranged talks with the top diplomat of Israel’s closest ally could be aimed at giving Netanyahu a political boost at home, Reuters said.

Israeli politics are in disarray after inconclusive elections in April and September and the failure of Netanyahu and his main challenger, Benny Gantz, to secure a ruling majority in the legislature. Netanyahu also faces a corruption indictment, charges that he denies.