Prime Minister Netanyahu on the UN resolution: "A distorted and despicable decision, will not bind the Israeli government" (Walla system)
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan arrived today (Wednesday) for a visit to Israel to hold talks aimed at reaching understandings with the new government regarding the policy on the Palestinian issue, the Iranian issue and all regarding efforts to bring about normalization agreements with other Arab countries, according to senior Israeli and American officials.
Sullivan's visit comes against the backdrop of the acute political and constitutional crisis in Israel following the High Court's decision to disqualify the appointment of Aryeh Deri as minister and the government's plan to weaken the judicial system. According to estimates, although this is not the original purpose of the visit, the issue will come up in Sullivan's talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , with President Yitzhak Herzog and other senior Israeli officials.
why is it important
The White House is concerned about the new Israeli government's policy in the occupied West Bank - including plans to expand settlements, training illegal outposts and other measures that constitute the de facto annexation of the territories.
The administration believes that these steps will make the two-state solution definitively irrelevant.
Will try to reach an understanding with Netanyahu.
Sullivan (Photo: Reuters)
More in Walla!
The Minister of Strategic Affairs arrived in Washington and will meet with senior officials in the White House
The Cabinet approved imposing sanctions on the Authority following its application to the Hague Tribunal
AiGAiN: the device that makes a revolution in the fight against wrinkles - in an introductory sale
In the news center
Sullivan will meet tonight with President Yitzhak Herzog and tomorrow he will meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials.
He is also expected to meet the head of the opposition Yair Lapid.
A senior American said to Walla!
Because Sullivan's goal is to clearly present to Netanyahu the American expectations from the new government and especially what the US wants Israel to do and what it wants Israel not to do.
Sullivan is also expected to present to Netanyahu what the US is willing to do to work with him on issues such as curbing the Iranian nuclear program and the attempt to bring about a breakthrough in the normalization process between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
"There are things that are important to Netanyahu and there are things that are important to us and we will see if we can reach agreements," said the American official.
Behind the Scenes
Last week, Netanyahu's associate Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer met with Sullivan at the White House to prepare the ground for his visit to Israel, according to senior Israeli and American officials.
During his visit to Washington, Dermer also met with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman. Foreign Minister Tony Blinken, who will arrive in Israel at the end of the month, also joined the meeting towards the end.
Senior Israeli and American officials said that in the meetings it was evident that both sides were in a state of "smile attack" after a history of tensions and bad blood.
A source close to the White House said that the American administration does not intend to give Netanyahu a cold shoulder at this stage and emphasized that Biden's strategy is the opposite.
According to him, the president instructed his people to embrace Netanyahu, to work with him and to use carrots and not sticks.
The big picture
Sullivan arrives in Israel amid rising internal tensions surrounding Netanyahu's plan to weaken the justice system and other democratic institutions.
The Biden administration has not yet decided how much to intervene in this issue, but it is highly likely that it will come up during Sullivan's talks in Jerusalem.
The president instructed his men to "embrace" Netanyahu.
Biden and Netanyahu meeting last year (photo: official website, Raanan Cohen)
the other side
On Thursday, Sullivan will also travel to Ramallah and meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
The Palestinian Authority and Israel are already on a collision course following the sanctions that the new government imposed on the Palestinians in response to their move at the United Nations to transfer the Israeli occupation of the West Bank to review by the International Court of Justice.
The Palestinian leadership is very frustrated with the policies of the Biden administration and wants the US to put pressure on the new government in Israel. The Biden administration, on the other hand, is frustrated with the Palestinian measures in the UN institutions, which it sees as harmful.
Yesterday (Tuesday) Abbas participated in a summit in Cairo with Egyptian President al-Sisi and Jordanian King Abdullah.
A day before the summit, the king met with President Biden's senior adviser on the Middle East issue, Brett McGurk.
Senior Palestinian officials said the tripartite summit in Cairo was intended to coordinate positions with Egypt and Jordan ahead of Sullivan's visit.
The Biden administration is frustrated by the Palestinian measures in UN institutions. Abu Mazen at the UN assembly, last year (Photo: Reuters)
what are they saying
A spokeswoman for the National Security Council at the White House said to Walla!
Because Sullivan will discuss with Netanyahu the challenges and opportunities in the region, including the threat from Iran and the attempt to promote more normalization agreements between Israel and Arab countries.
"Sullivan will emphasize the US commitment to the two-state solution and its opposition to policies and measures that undermine the ability to implement this solution or threaten the status quo in Jerusalem," said the spokeswoman for the National Security Council at the White House.
news
Political-political
Foreign relations
Tags
United States
Benjamin Netanyahu
/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/prisa/KMEYMJKESBAZBE4MRBAM4TGHIQ.jpg)
