WASHINGTON — Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited the White House on Tuesday amid strained relations in recent months over the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He White House They said Biden and Herzog, who will address Congress on Wednesday, will discuss ways to promote freedom and security for Israelis and Palestinians, address Iran’s “destabilizing behavior” and “deepen Israel’s regional integration.”
Biden reiterated that the friendship between the United States and Israel is “unbreakable” in remarks with Herzog before the meeting.
“As I stated to Prime Minister Netanyahu yesterday, the United States’ commitment to Israel is unwavering,” Biden said.
Tensions between the US and Israel escalated after Biden criticized a judicial reform that Netanyahu had carried out despite Israeli street protests. Biden also came under scrutiny for not having invited Netanyahu to the White House after his return to office in December.
Biden extended that invitation to Netanyahu in a phone call on Monday.
“The prime minister responded positively to the invitation and it was agreed that the Israeli and American teams would coordinate the details of the meeting,” the Israeli government said in a statement.
The two leaders discussed strengthening the US-Israeli alliance, threats from Iran and “continuing efforts for calm and stability in Judea and Samaria,” the Israeli statement said. Israel also characterized the conversation as “warm and long.”
John Kirby, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said Biden underlined his “iron” commitment to Israel’s security. In addition to discussing Iran, the two leaders also discussed judicial reforms in Israel and Biden’s concern about settlement growth, Kirby said at a White House briefing.
He added that they would meet in the fall.
In a summary of the call, the white house said that Biden “expressed his concern about the continued growth of the settlements and called on all parties to refrain from further unilateral action” and that he reiterated “the need for the broadest possible consensus” in the debate in Israel on judicial reforms.
Biden and Netanyahu last spoke in March.
Herzog said he was pleased to hear about the leaders’ conversation and focus on “strong military and security cooperation.
“There are some enemies of ours who sometimes mistake the fact that we may have some differences as an impact on our unbreakable bond, and I truly believe that if they knew how much our cooperation has grown in recent years and reached new heights, they wouldn’t. . think that way,” Herzog told Biden before their meeting.
Netanyahu, a right-wing politician who is in his sixth term as prime minister, has moved to expand Israeli settlements in the West Bank in the face of opposition from the United States and other countries.
The visit by Herzog, who occupies a largely ceremonial position, also comes days after Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-W., chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, was criticized by both Democrats and Republicans for her comments that characterized Israel as a “racist state” at a conference over the weekend.
Jayapal retracted his comments in a lengthy statement on Sunday, seeking to clarify his remarks while defending the sentiment behind them. Jayapal said he was trying to “defuse a tense situation” at the conference and offered “my apologies to those whom I have hurt with my words.”
More than 40 House Democrats signed a statement condemning his remarks, and a Republican lawmaker filed a resolution on Monday expressing his support for Israel.
The lawmaker, Rep. August Pfluger of Texas, said in a statement that “repeated comments” by Jayapal and other progressive Democrats denigrating Israel “are unacceptable and disgusting.”
The resolution, filed with Republican Reps. David Kustoff of Tennessee and Max Miller of Ohio, says it is the opinion of Congress that Israel is “not a racist or apartheid state,” that Congress rejects all forms of anti-Semitism and xenophobia, and that the US “will always be a staunch partner and supporter of Israel.”
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Louisiana, said the house would vote Tuesday on the resolution.
