President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday and invited him to the United States for a meeting in the coming months.
“The prime minister responded positively to the invitation, and it was agreed that the Israeli and US teams would coordinate the details of the meeting,” the Israeli government said in a statement.
The two leaders discussed strengthening the US-Israel alliance, threats from Iran and “continuing efforts for peace and stability in Judea and Samaria.” The report said. Israel characterized the dialogue as “hot and long”.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Biden underscored his “ironclad” commitment to Israel’s defense. In addition to discussing Iran, the two leaders also spoke about Biden’s interest in judicial reforms and settlement development in Israel, Kirby said at a White House briefing.
He added that the US meeting will be held in the fall.
Summary of the call, The White House said Biden “expressed concern about continued settlement development and called on all parties to refrain from unilateral actions,” and reiterated “the need for the broadest possible consensus” in the debate in Israel over judicial reforms.
“As friends can and friends should do, you speak honestly, frankly, frankly, frankly, and you put it out there, and President Biden has done that,” Kirby said. “He has done that publicly with regard to judicial reforms, and he will continue to do so in conversations with Israeli leaders.”
Kirby said the two leaders have been trying to schedule a call for “a few weeks.” Biden and Netanyahu last spoke In the month of March.
The call comes after Netanyahu was taken to hospital over the weekend after suffering “mild dizziness”, according to his office. The director of the cardiology department of the hospital said that he was admitted to the hospital due to dehydration. Netanyahu was discharged on Sunday after being fitted with a heart monitor.
US-Israeli relations have been strained in recent months after Biden criticized Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul despite domestic protests. Biden faced criticism Not called yet Netanyahu visited the White House after returning to the presidency of Israel.
The call with Netanyahu comes a day before Biden is scheduled to meet with Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the White House.
The contents of Monday’s call reflect the same agenda the White House released for Tuesday’s meeting with Herzog. Biden and Herzog plan to discuss ways to advance freedom and security for Israelis and Palestinians, Iran’s “destabilizing behavior” and ways to “deepen Israel’s regional integration.” White House.
Netanyahu, a far-right politician, is in office for a sixth term. His government moved to expand Israeli settlements in the West Bank, shocking the United States and other countries.
In March, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman protested to Israel’s ambassador to the US over changes to Israeli law allowing new settlement construction in the West Bank.
Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. The corruption trial has been going on since 2020.
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