The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, held a meeting with the National Security Adviser of the United States, Jake Sullivan, in the highest level of in-person talks between the two nations since the inauguration of Israel’s newly elected Prime Minister.
Sullivan’s trip on Thursday took place amidst regional tension and a new era for Israel under Prime Minister Netanyahu and his governing coalition. A statement from Netanyahu’s office said that Sullivan and Netanyahu discussed Iran’s nuclear program and methods to expand the normalization agreements established during the Trump administration with four Arab nations. They also discussed “further steps to strengthen the Abraham Accords and broaden the circle of peace, with a specific focus on making progress with Saudi Arabia.” Sullivan also reassured Netanyahu that Biden’s commitment to Israel is unwavering, citing shared history, interests, and values as the foundation of this commitment.”
Following the meeting, Sullivan held a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas where he implored the Biden administration to intervene and prevent the Israeli government from proceeding with further actions against the Palestinians.” According to a statement from President Abbas’s office, he told Sullivan that the policies of the new Israeli coalition are dismantling any remaining possibilities of attaining peace and stability in the region. He implored the US to take action before it’s too late to hinder these one-sided measures.”
President Abbas also implored Sullivan to reinstate the US consulate in Jerusalem responsible for managing American relations with Palestinians in the West Bank and to re-open the Washington DC office of the Palestine Liberation Organization.”