Biden and Netanyahu are on the first call after a delay | Politics News

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The U.S. president and Israeli PM discussed regional issues, including Iran and recent diplomatic normalization treaties.

Joe Biden received his first official phone call with Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House confirmed Wednesday after questions shifted out whether the President of the United States was trying to send a message to the Israeli Prime Minister by sending call delay.

Biden told White House pool reporters he had a “good conversation” with Netanyahu on Wednesday.

This was Biden’s first call-up to a leader in the Middle East since taking office on January 20, highlighting the importance of U.S.-Israeli relations, which have been strong for decades but which very much to former President Donald Trump – who was a strong friend of Netanyahu.

Biden and Netanyahu spoke of “the importance of ongoing close consultation on regional security issues, including Iran”, the White House said in a statement on the call.

“The President emphasized US support for the normalization of relations between Israel and countries in the Arab and Muslim world. He emphasized the importance of working to promote peace throughout the region, including between Israelis and Palestinians. “

Biden has spoken to several world leaders since he became president, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Aaron David Miller, former senior at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said the U.S. president intended to send a message by continuing his call with Netanyahu just nearly a month after his departure. in the post.

“The message is:‘ I’m a pro-Israel – an amazing pro-Israel president – but I’m not necessarily a pro-Netanyahu ’,” Miller told Al Jazeera.

“Biden was not going to borrow a page from Trump’s playbook and give Netanyahu a warm grip weeks before the Israeli election,” he said, referring to legislative polls in Israel to be held. on March 23rd.

However, Netanyahu’s office responded to the call, saying “the conversation was very warm and friendly and lasted for about an hour”.

“Both leaders noted their longstanding personal connection and said they would work together to continue strengthening the lasting alliance between Israel and the US,” he said.

Former US President Donald Trump strongly supported Netanyahu [File: Brendan McDermid/Reuters]

One point of departure between Biden and Netanyahu is the new administration’s stated intention to revive Iran’s nuclear deal, which Netanyahu had realistically opposed and from which Trump withdrew unilaterally in 2018.

Biden has pledged to go back to the agreement if Iran returns to comply with restrictions on its uranium enrichment capabilities.

Biden and Netanyahu spoke of “the advancement of future peace treaties, Iran’s threat and regional challenges, and agreed to continue their dialogue,” the statement from Netanyahu’s office said.

While Biden has pledged to restore U.S. diplomatic relations with the Palestinian Authority (PA) and restore U.S. support for Palestinians, his administration has signed a rejection of some of Trump’s most divisive policies on turn the conflict back.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration would not seek to reverse Trump’s move of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem – a move that has been rejected by Palestinians and international observers.

Biden has also given his broad support to the so-called Abraham Accords – diplomatic normalization agreements broken by the Trump administration between Israel and Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Sudan, and Morocco that Palestinians have rejected as a “stab in the back”.

The Biden administration has said it will review U.S. commitments made as part of the deals, however.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s office said in its statement that Biden praised Israel’s prime minister for efforts to combat the coronavirus and said the two exchanged views on ways to deal with the whole disease. -discharged.

Israel has been criticized for not sharing its COVID-19 vaccine stock with Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

This week, the PA accused Israel of halting a shipment of vaccines intended for health workers in Gaza. The passengers arrived in Palestinian-restricted land on Wednesday.

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