“HThere is every reason to believe that the two leaders will have the opportunity to meet,” said US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.
But “we must ensure that the health of the president and his recovery from Covid-19 remain the priority and if, and how, this can affect a discussion with the prime minister” of Israel, he added, in statements to journalists.
Benjamin Netanyahu is set to address the US Congress on Wednesday and Israeli media reports say he will meet with Joe Biden on Monday.
But the spokesman for the US government stressed that he could not confirm today whether the meeting would take place, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Israel’s war in Gaza will be the main topic of discussion as the US president pushes for a ceasefire with Hamas.
The two leaders have historically complicated relations, exacerbated since the beginning of the war in the Gaza Strip provoked by the unprecedented attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement on October 7.
The Israeli parliament’s vote today on a resolution against the creation of a Palestinian state risks not helping relations.
The Knesset passed a symbolic resolution that “firmly opposes the creation of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan”, that is, in the West Bank, Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967, or in the Gaza Strip.
This vote is compromising for Washington, and US officials have refrained from making direct criticisms while reaffirming US support for the two-state solution.
“I think the best way to answer this question is to reiterate our firm belief in the power and promise of the two-state solution,” John Kirby said.
“President Joe Biden will not give up on this solution and we will continue to do everything in our power to try to achieve it,” the White House spokesman assured, although he recognized that this will require “courage and leadership in the region.”
The United States is Israel’s main political and military supporter, but the two governments fundamentally disagree on the issue of a Palestinian state.
However, for months now, Washington has been preparing plans for the post-war period in the Gaza Strip, foreseeing the reconstruction of the Palestinian territory and the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
But everything is conditioned, particularly by the Arab countries, on the establishment of a ‘path’ towards the creation of a Palestinian State.
“I think we can say (…) that a legislative text that opposes the two-state solution is not something that makes us happy,” admitted, in turn, after being pressed with questions on the subject today, the deputy spokesman for US diplomacy, Vedant Patel.
Joe Biden has been forced into isolation since testing positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday.
The head of state, however, remains informed about the evolution of the situation and “particularly in the area of national security”, assured John Kirby.
Read Also: Netanyahu rejects creation of field hospital for Gaza children
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Source: https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/mundo/2600875/biden-e-netanyahu-vao-encontrar-se-na-proxima-semana-em-washington
