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Thursday, July 13, 2023
Biden formally extends invitation for Herzog to visit White House next week
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleJacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
US President Joe Biden formally extends an invitation for President Isaac Herzog to visit the White House next Tuesday.
Herzog will be in Washington to give an address to a joint session of the US Congress in honor of Israel’s 75th anniversary.
“The visit will highlight our enduring partnership and friendship. President Biden will reaffirm the ironclad commitment of the United States to Israel’s security. The two leaders will discuss opportunities to deepen Israel’s regional integration and to create a more peaceful and prosperous Middle East,” the White House says in a statement.
“President Biden will stress the importance of our shared democratic values, and discuss ways to advance equal measures of freedom, prosperity, and security for Palestinians and Israelis,” the statement continues, referencing the Israeli government’s judicial overhaul and its policies toward the Palestinians — two issues of which the Biden administration has been particularly critical.
“The leaders will also discuss Russia’s deepening military relationship with Iran, and Iran’s destabilizing behavior in the region,” the White House says.
The US has consistently leaned on Israel to increase its aid to Ukraine, while Jerusalem has resisted calls to offer weapons amid fears of upending its own ties with Moscow.
Herzog will meet with US Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday in addition to a range of interagency officials during his two days in Washington, the White House adds.
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