2024 RT Amination Banner.gif

China Daily

Asia Pacific> Asia News> Content
Sunday, February 14, 2021, 12:40
Envoy: Netanyahu not bothered that Biden hasn't phoned him yet
By Reuters
Sunday, February 14, 2021, 12:40 By Reuters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a statement at the Israeli Knesset, or Parliament, in Jerusalem, Dec 22, 2020. Netanyahu said, "We did not want elections, but we will win." (PHOTO / AP)

JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not troubled that US President Joe Biden has not phoned him yet, Israel’s ambassador to Washington said on Saturday, seeking to play down the lack of direct contact so far.

There has been speculation that the Democratic president could be signaling displeasure over the close ties Netanyahu forged with former President Donald Trump, who called Netanyahu two days after his inauguration in 2017.

There has been speculation that the Democratic president could be signaling displeasure over the close ties Netanyahu forged with former President Donald Trump, who called Netanyahu two days after his inauguration in 2017

“The prime minister is not worried about the timing of the conversation,” Ambassador Gilad Erdan told N12’s Meet The Press. He said Biden had urgent matters to contend with, such as the coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout.

On Friday, the White House denied that Biden was intentionally snubbing Netanyahu by failing to include him so far in phone calls to foreign leaders since taking office on Jan 20, saying the two leaders would speak soon.

ALSO READ: Israel's PM to visit UAE in first post-normalization trip

Biden has already called numerous foreign leaders, including those from China, Mexico, Britain, India, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea and Russia.

David Makovsky, a former US Middle East negotiator at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said on Twitter that once Biden starts phoning Middle East leaders, Netanyahu would likely be first among them.

While the right-wing Netanyahu was in lock-step with Trump over Middle East policy, he could be in for frostier relations with Biden, although Biden has long been regarded in Israel as a friend in Washington.

Netanyahu may find the alliance tested if Washington restores US participation in the Iran nuclear deal that Trump withdrew from and opposes Israeli settlement building on occupied land where Palestinians seek statehood.

READ MORE: Israeli PM denounces ICC decision on jurisdiction

Share this story

CHINA DAILY
HONG KONG NEWS
OPEN
Please click in the upper right corner to open it in your browser !