U.S. President Donald Trump gestures to gathered news media as he welcomes Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in Washington, U.S., March 25, 2019. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump, at the start of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said on Monday any future Middle East peace deal must account for Israel’s right to self-defense, shortly after Israel began bombing Gaza in retaliation for a rocket attack.