President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are expected to speak on Wednesday, according to a source familiar with the plans.
It will mark the first phone call between the two leaders in months, and since fighting has intensified in the Middle East as Israel continues its war against Hamas in Gaza while also seeking to root out Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon.
Biden and Netanyahu are expected to discuss Israel’s plans to strike Iran during their conversation, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The call was first reported by Axios.
Israel is currently weighing its response to a missile attack by Iran last week. The barrage of strikes was largely shot down by Israel, with the help of the U.S. military, and did not result in any major loss of life.
The Biden administration hoped to rein in the Israeli answer to the strikes. But so far, his diplomatic efforts in the region have been largely thwarted.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was set to meet with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in Washington this week, but Gallant postponed his trip to the U.S.
When asked why Gallant was postponing the trip, Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh referred questions to the Israeli government.
“You’d have to speak to the Israelis on that one. I was just told that he postponed his trip,” she said during Tuesday’s press briefing.
An hour before the Pentagon’s announcement, Israeli newspaper Haaretz cited sources as saying Netanyahu had “demanded” Gallant not leave for the U.S. until he spoke with Biden.
Benny Gantz, Israel’s former defense minister, posted on X that the cancellation of the trip harmed Israel’s national security “for personal and political considerations.”
ABC News’ Luis Martinez and Alexandra Hutzler contributed to this report.
President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are set to hold their first conversation in months, according to a source familiar with the matter. The two leaders have had a strained relationship in the past, with disagreements over issues such as the Iran nuclear deal and Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
The upcoming conversation comes at a crucial time for both leaders, as they navigate a complex geopolitical landscape in the Middle East. President Biden has made it clear that he intends to take a more diplomatic approach to foreign policy, in contrast to his predecessor’s more confrontational stance. This has raised hopes among some in Israel that the US will re-engage with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and work towards a two-state solution.
Netanyahu, on the other hand, is facing political challenges at home, with ongoing corruption charges and a fractured coalition government. He will likely be looking to strengthen ties with the US, Israel’s closest ally, as he navigates these challenges.
The conversation between Biden and Netanyahu is expected to touch on a range of issues, including the Iran nuclear deal, which Netanyahu vehemently opposes. The two leaders will also likely discuss the recent violence in Israel and Gaza, as well as the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Overall, the upcoming conversation between Biden and Netanyahu is an important step towards re-establishing a productive relationship between the US and Israel. Both leaders will need to find common ground on key issues in order to effectively address the challenges facing the region. It remains to be seen how this conversation will impact US-Israeli relations moving forward, but it is clear that both leaders are committed to working together to address the complex issues facing the Middle East.
