(January 3, 2023 / JNS) US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan will travel to Israel in mid-January, when a high-ranking Biden administration official will make the first visit since the inauguration of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government last Thursday.
According to reports, Iran’s nuclear program and ongoing Palestinian terrorism emanating from Judea and Samaria will be among the main topics to be discussed.
Sullivan is expected to meet with Netanyahu, his Israeli counterpart Tzachi Hanegbi and Strategic Affairs Minister and former Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer, according to Israeli media reports.
In a conversation with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on Monday, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken congratulated him on his new position and reiterated America’s commitment to Israel’s security and the US-Israel partnership.
“Blinken discussed ongoing US efforts to advance mutual interests such as Israel’s further regional integration, including through the Negev Forum; addressing shared challenges, including the threat from Iran; and promoting the values that have been at the heart of the bilateral relationship for many years,” a Blinken spokesperson said in a statement.
Blinken also emphasized the continued commitment of the US to the two-state solution and opposition to policies that threaten its viability,” the statement said.
In December, Blinken was the keynote speaker at the annual J Street conference in Washington, DC, where he promised “the [Israeli] of the government according to its policies and procedures, rather than its individual personalities.”
United States President Joe Biden welcomed the swearing in of Netanyahu’s new government last Thursday, saying he was looking forward to working with the prime minister, “who has been a friend of mine for many years, to fight together the many challenges and opportunities facing Israel and the Middle East. region, including threats from Iran.”
“The United States is working to promote a region that is increasingly integrated, prosperous and secure, and that benefits all its people. Since the beginning of my administration, we have worked with partners to advance this hopeful vision of a region of peace, including between Israelis and Palestinians,” continued a statement on behalf of Biden, adding that Washington would continue to support the for his head. state resolution and to oppose policies that threaten its viability or conflict with our common interests and values.”
