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PM Benjamin Netanyahu has downplayed the notion he was being slighted by US President Joe Biden.
The White House has denied that US President Joe Biden was intentionally snubbing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by failing to include him so far in an early round of phone calls to foreign leaders since taking office on January 20.
The lack of direct contact between the American president and the long-serving Israeli leader has fuelled speculation in Israel and among Middle East analysts that the new administration may be signalling its displeasure over the close ties Netanyahu forged with Biden’s predecessor, former President Donald Trump.
“He is looking forward to speaking with Prime Minister Netanyahu,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters at a daily briefing when on Friday asked when Biden would call. “I can assure you that will be soon, but I don’t have a specific time or deadline.”
Asked if the delay in a Biden courtesy call was meant to disrespect the Israeli leader, Psaki said: “It is not an intentional dis. Prime Minister Netanyahu is someone the president has known for some time.”
Biden, she said, was “looking forward to having the conversation”.
Being slighted?
Israel is one of Washington’s closest allies. Trump and his predecessor, Barack Obama, under whom Biden served as vice president, both spoke to Netanyahu within days of taking office.
Biden has already made calls to a number of foreign leaders, including those from China, Mexico, the United Kingdom, India, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea and Russia.
Netanyahu has himself downplayed the notion that he was being slighted.
While Netanyahu was almost in lock-step with Trump over Middle East policy, he could be in for frostier relations with Biden. Biden has long been regarded in Israel as a friend in Washington but he and Netanyahu have sometimes not seen eye-to-eye.
Netanyahu will be challenged if Biden restores US participation in the Iran nuclear deal that Trump withdrew from, improves Washington’s tattered relations with the Palestinians as he has promised, and opposes Israeli settlement building on occupied land where Palestinians seek statehood.
Netanyahu used his bond with Trump in recent elections to tout his ability to keep the United States aligned with his policies. But with Israel’s fourth election in two years scheduled for March 23, he may not have that political luxury any more.
No MBS call
Psaki also said no call was planned to the leader of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS).
“Well, obviously there’s a review of our policy as it relates to Saudi Arabia. There’s not a call planned that I’m aware of,” she said.
Psaki previously side-stepped a question on whether the administration would impose sanctions on Saudi Arabia for the 2018 murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi operatives in the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul.
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