Israeli President Herzog to visit Washington next week

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog will visit the United States next week amid tensions between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House said in a statement Thursday.

The visit, to take place on July 18-19, comes as Washington continues to express disapproval over the Netanyahu government’s controversial legal reforms and aggressive settlement expansions.

“As Israel celebrates its 75th anniversary, the visit will highlight our enduring partnership and friendship,” the White House said.

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“President Biden will reaffirm the ironclad commitment of the United States to Israel’s security,” it said.

‘Vacuum for extremism among Palestinians’

While Herzog is Biden’s equal as head of state, the visit illustrates the difficult relationship Biden has with Netanyahu, who has not been invited to Washington since his reelection in November.

Asked in a CNN interview that aired Sunday why he had not invited Netanyahu, Biden said the US has “other contacts” like Herzog.

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He said Netanyahu’s coalition was exacerbating tensions with Palestinians by facilitating settlement expansion on Palestinian land.

Combined with the weakening of the Palestinian Authority, Biden said it is all creating “a vacuum for extremism among Palestinians,” Biden said.

“Bibi I think is trying to work through … his existing problems in terms of his coalition,” Biden said, using Netanyahu’s nickname.

“This is one of the most extremist … cabinets that I’ve seen,” Biden said.

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The White House said Biden and Herzog would discuss “ways to advance equal measures of freedom, prosperity, and security for Palestinians and Israelis.”

They will also talk about Iran’s strengthening relationship with Russia and its threats to regional stability.

Herzog will also address the US Congress.

© Agence France-Presse