(Washington) Joe Biden received his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog at the White House on Tuesday, hailing an “indestructible” relationship with Israel despite tensions with the government of Binyamin Netanyahu and his judicial reform.
The Israeli president, who plays an essentially ceremonial role, was received in the Oval Office, claiming to have come with “gratitude and thanks from all sides of the political spectrum”, while the American president accused of ” extremists” certain members of the Israeli government.
He also referred to “the lively debate” that prevails today in his country in an allusion to this controversial judicial reform, while launching in front of the press: “Let me reiterate, clearly, very clearly, that Israeli democracy is healthy , strong and resilient.
Mr. Herzog, who had already been received by the American president in October 2022, is making a two-day visit to Washington and he is due to address the two chambers of Congress meeting in plenary session on Wednesday.
The visit is an opportunity for all of Washington to highlight its “unwavering” support for the Israeli ally, but the shadow of Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu hangs over the trip.
“Disturbing”
Relations between the United States and Israel have indeed deteriorated since Netanyahu returned to power in December thanks to an alliance with ultra-Orthodox and far-right parties.
Mr. Biden notably criticized the controversial judicial reform plan of the Netanyahu government, one of the most right-wing in the history of the country, and which has led to massive demonstrations for several months.
The Biden administration also denounces the continued colonization of the occupied Palestinian territories against the backdrop of renewed violence in the region since the beginning of the year.
A number of elected Democrats are considering boycotting the Israeli president’s speech to Congress on Wednesday in protest.
In a gesture of appeasement, the American president agreed on Monday to receive the Israeli prime minister by the end of the year in the United States, but the White House refrained from saying when and where he would be received.
“We just haven’t settled the details,” said White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday, denying any “hesitation”.
It would be the first meeting between the two heads of state since the return of Benyamin Netanyahu at the end of 2022 as head of the Israeli government.
Contested reform
Asked about this invitation by journalists, a spokesman for the White House, John Kirby, said Monday that MM. Biden and Netanyahu had “agreed to meet, probably before the end of the year”, perhaps “during the fall”.
However, he declined to specify whether that meeting would be held at the White House or elsewhere.
It could very well take place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September.
In a telephone conversation between the two leaders on Monday, Mr. Netanyahu “updated the US President about the law that should be passed next week in Parliament, and his intention to try […] gain broad public support […] for the rest of the “legislative process,” the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said.
According to the White House report, Joe Biden reiterated on this occasion “the need to obtain the broadest possible consensus”, stressing that the “sharing of common democratic values has always been and must remain the hallmark of fabric of the United States-Israel relationship”.
The Democrat also expressed “concerns over the continued expansion of Jewish settlements” and insisted on “the need to take steps to preserve the viability” of a future Palestinian state.
Spokesman John Kirby made it clear that the fact that Joe Biden agrees to meet with Mr. Netanyahu does not mean “that we are less concerned about judicial reforms or less concerned about the extremist behavior of certain members of the Netanyahu government. “.
“These concerns remain valid. It’s disturbing,” he said.