Biden Speaks with Netanyahu for First Time as ‘President-elect’

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke on Tuesday evening with US President-elect Joe Biden. It was the first conversation they had since Biden was deemed the winner of the recent US presidential election. A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office after the call said the two leaders had a “warm conversation,” during which Biden “reiterated his deep commitment to the State of Israel and its security.” They agreed to meet “soon,” according to the statement, which referred to Biden as “president-elect” – the first time Netanyahu or his office have publicly used the title. The Israeli leaded tweeted his congratulations to Biden and Kamala Harris, the vice-president elect, shortly after US news agencies showed them as having reached the necessary 270 electoral votes, but without referring to their victory. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin also spoke with Biden on Tuesday. He called the president-elect “a longstanding friend of the State of Israel” and said the friendship was “based on values that are beyond partisan politics,” according to a statement issued by his office.