Seven months since assuming office, Biden invites Netanyahu to meet in US
Jul 17, 2023
Tel Aviv [Israel], July 18 : US President Joe Biden during a phone call on Monday, invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to meet him in US, The Times of Israel reported.
Notably, this invitation has come seven months after Netanyahu came back to office.
The invitation was extended during a “warm and long” phone call, Netanyahu’s office said.
“President Biden invited Prime Minister Netanyahu to meet soon in the United States. The Prime Minister accepted the invitation and it was agreed that Israeli and American teams will coordinate the details of the meeting,” it added.
According to Netanyahu’s office, the conversation focused on bolstering the strong bond between the nations; thwarting threats from Iran and its proxies; expanding the circle of peace; and the continued efforts to deescalate and stabilize the situation in Judea and Samaria.
However, Prime Minister’s Office notably did not state that the meeting would take place at the White House, as Netanyahu likely had hoped. Speculation has grown in recent weeks that the two could sit down on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly high-level week in September when both leaders are expected to be in New York, The Times of Israel reported.
According to the White House, the two leaders consulted on close coordination to counter Iran, including through regular and ongoing joint military exercises. They also noted that the US-Israel partnership remains a cornerstone in preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
“The President stressed the need to take measures to maintain the viability of a two-state solution and improve the security situation in the West Bank,” the White House stated.
President Biden also expressed concern about continued settlement growth and called on all parties to refrain from further unilateral measures.
Later, the White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby confirmed that there would be a meeting between Biden and Netanyahu sometime in the fall.
“This doesn’t mean we have less concerns about the judicial reform or about the extremists in the Israeli government. We remain concerned,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Israeli PM was discharged on Sunday afternoon following an overnight hospital stay with a heart monitor implanted on his chest, Al Jazeera reported.
The 72-year-old Israeli Prime Minister was rushed to Sheba Medical Center on Saturday following a dizzy spell. His office said that he was discharged from the hospital on Sunday after stating earlier that his test results were normal and that he was feeling “very good”.
