Israeli President to Meet With Biden Amid U.S. Unease With Netanyahu
President Biden will meet with President Isaac Herzog of Israel on Tuesday at the White House, a diplomatic overture to one of America’s key allies amid tensions between the Biden administration and Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister.
White House officials described the meeting with Mr. Herzog as an opportunity for Mr. Biden to strengthen an already “ironclad” relationship between the two countries. They said the two leaders would discuss preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon as part of the White House called its “unwavering commitment” to Israel’s security.
But the declarations of mutual respect have masked strains between the two governments that have grown in recent years, as Mr. Biden has become increasingly frustrated with Mr. Netanyahu’s positions on Israeli settlements and efforts to overhaul the nation’s judicial system.
On Monday, Mr. Biden ended months of delay in offering Mr. Netanyahu a formal visit to the United States. After the pair talked on the phone, Mr. Biden invited the prime minister to meet in the United States, most likely before the end of the year — though not necessarily at the White House.
Source: The New York Times
