Biden says he’ll seek to work with Netanyahu to advance regional, Palestinian peace
While joining Putin and Modi in congratulating Likud leader on his return to office, US president stresses opposition to policies that endanger a two-state solution
US President Joe Biden said Thursday that he looks forward to working with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to advance regional peace, including with the Palestinians, joining other world leaders in congratulating the premier on swearing in a new government.
“I look forward to working with Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has been my friend for decades, to jointly address the many challenges and opportunities facing Israel and the Middle East region, including threats from Iran,” Biden said in a statement.
“The United States is working to promote a region that’s increasingly integrated, prosperous, and secure, with benefits for all of its people. From the start of my administration, we have worked with partners to promote this more hopeful vision of a region at peace, including between Israelis and Palestinians,” he continued. “We aim to continue this important work with Israel’s new government under Prime Minister Netanyahu’s leadership.
“The United States will continue to support the two state solution and to oppose policies that endanger its viability or contradict our mutual interests and values,” Biden added, expressing a policy that will likely be at odds with the new government, given its principled support for annexing large parts of the West Bank and expanding settlement construction.
None of the new Israeli government’s members are on record supporting a two-state solution either, some support annexing the West Bank without granting equal rights to Palestinians in those areas, and many vehemently oppose working with or bolstering the Palestinian Authority.
The Biden administration has not stated whether it will work with some of the Netanyahu government’s most far-right members, such as National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Deputy Minister Avi Maoz.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also congratulated the new government.
Blinken said he looks “forward to working with the new Israeli government to promote peace, security, and prosperity in the region, and to advance the interests and values that have been at the heart of our relationship for decades.”
“The deep bonds between the United States and Israel have long been based upon an unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and certain shared ideals, including democratic principles and a vision of Israel at peace with its neighbors,” he said.
US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides also tweeted his congratulations to Netanyahu and his new government Thursday, hailing strong ties between Jerusalem and Washington, but pointedly not mentioning shared values.
“Here’s to the rock solid US-Israel relationship and unbreakable ties,” he wrote.
Nides and other US officials have attempted to downplay any potential tensions with the governing coalition.
Earlier this month, Blinken warned Israel against annexation, settlement expansion and eviction of Palestinians, but said Washington was prepared to work with the new government, adding that it would judge it based on its policies, not personalities.
Separately Thursday, a White House National Security Council spokesperson said in a statement, “we note that Prime Minister Netanyahu has repeatedly said he will set the policy of his government.” The remark appeared to refer to the Biden administration policy to hold the premier personally accountable for the actions of the next government, rather than accepting for blame to be placed on its far-right members.
Netanyahu swore in Israel’s 37th government on Thursday, promising that his right-religious coalition will deliver political stability after five bumpy back-to-back elections since 2019.
With a total of 15 years in two stints in the country’s top seat — he is now beginning his third — Netanyahu is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister. This will be his sixth government, and by allying far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties to his right-wing Likud, it will be his and the country’s most hardline to date.
Also congratulating him on Thursday was Russian President Vladimir Putin, who stressed in a statement his intention to strengthen cooperation, the Kremlin said.
“I hope that the new government under your leadership will continue the line of strengthening Russian-Israeli cooperation in all areas for the benefit of our peoples, in the interest of ensuring peace and security in the Middle East,” Putin said in his message to Netanyahu, quoted in the statement.
“In Russia, we greatly appreciate your personal and long-standing contribution to strengthening friendly relations between our countries,” Putin continued.
Israel has taken a cautious position toward Moscow since the invasion of Ukraine in February, seeking to maintain an open channel to both sides. Jerusalem has particularly emphasized the special ties between the two nations, as Israel has more than a million citizens from the former Soviet Union.
While Russia has shown frustration at Israel over its stated sympathy for Kyiv around the ongoing war in Ukraine, Putin might be optimistic about Netanyahu’s return. Earlier this month, an official delegation from the Moscow city government visited Israel, a visit unlikely to have occurred without a green light from Putin as Netanyahu prepared to officially take the reins in Israel.
Some expect Netanyahu to make an effort to serve as a mediator between Kyiv and Moscow, a role that former prime minister Naftali Bennett unsuccessfully pursued.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also congratulated Netanyahu on Thursday.
“I wish success on the way to the welfare and security of Israel,” Zelensky wrote on Twitter. “I confirm Ukraine’s readiness for close cooperation to strengthen our ties and confront common challenges, achieve prosperity and victory over evil.
Meanwhile, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his “heartiest congratulations” to Netanyahu for forming his government. “Looking forward to working together to strengthen our strategic partnership,” he said.
During Modi’s visit to Israel in 2017, the two leaders waded barefoot together into the surf, the waves lapping at the hems of their pants as they talked. The two then sipped drinks and took a drive in a water desalination dune buggy.
European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen said in a tweet that she looks forward “to working on strengthening our partnership, promoting peace in the Middle East and addressing the shockwaves of Russia’s war against Ukraine.”
Under Netanyahu, the annual Association Council meetings between Israel and EU foreign ministers had been suspended since 2012. Former prime minister Yair Lapid prioritized strengthening ties with Europe, and the Association Council met in 2022.
European diplomats have said they would like the forum to meet again in 2023, regardless of who is leading Israel.
Carrie Keller-Lynn contributed to this report.
