US President Joe Biden called Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu Monday to invite him to a meeting in the US. The president had refrained until now from inviting Netanyahu, even though Israel’s government has been in power for over seven months.
Typically, US presidents invite new Israeli prime ministers to visit soon after their election.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said the call was “long and warm” and that the visit would occur “soon.”
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However, the president apparently did not invite Netanyahu Monday to the White House, opening the door to a less prestigious meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September.
Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, is slated to visit the US this week. Although Herzog’s role is largely symbolic, his visit has underlined President Biden’s desire to snub the prime minister.
In previous weeks, President Biden has expressed deep concern over Netanyahu’s agenda. The Israeli government is seeking to restructure relations between the Supreme Court and the country’s parliament and government, diluting the court’s oversight powers.
Since Israel has no written constitution, political opponents say these changes amount to a political coup. Protestors have demonstrated in force throughout Israel, throwing the country into a political crisis.
The US has also expressed concern over Israel’s disinterest in seeking Palestinian peace. Instead, Netanyahu’s coalition has approved new plans to further expand Jewish settlements in the West Bank, and Netanyahu has said he intends to crush Palestinian hopes for statehood.
Today’s phone call between the US and Israeli leaders focused on Israel’s internal crisis as well as its West Bank policies.