Washington: US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken revealed in an interview with “CNN” that the administration of the new US president Joe Biden will continue to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
In a question about whether the Biden administration “will continue to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” a decision made by former President Donald Trump, Blinken said: “Yes, we will continue to recognize it.” But he avoided answering a question about Washington’s recognition of East Jerusalem as the capital of the state of Palestine. Stressing that his country wants the Palestinians and the Israelis to sit together to negotiate over the final status files.
Blinken indicated that Israel’s control of the occupied Golan Heights remains necessary to ensure its security at the present time, referring to former President Trump’s decision to recognize Israel’s full sovereignty over the heights, which Israel seized from Syria in 1967 and annexed it in 1981.
Blinken said, “Regardless of the legal questions, in practice the Golan Heights remain very important to the security of Israel, because as long as (Syrian President Bashar) Assad is in power, and the Iranian presence continues (in Syria), this constitutes a threat to Israel.”
We are committed to the security of Saudi Arabia
During the interview, the US Secretary of State reiterated President Biden’s previous statements, in which he promised to support Saudi Arabia in securing its lands.
Blinken said, “We are committed to ending US support for the war in Yemen, but we are also committed to Saudi Arabia’s security,” noting that the US administration “will play a leading role in efforts to end the war in Yemen.”
President Biden said during a press conference at the US State Department on Friday that the United States “will help Saudi Arabia protect its territory and protect the security of its people from Iranian missile threats, launched by Iranian-backed groups.”
He indicated that his country would also work on the diplomatic front to put an end to the war in Yemen, which led to a humanitarian and strategic disaster, as he described it.
Biden and Netanyahu
The US Secretary of State also spoke during the interview about the relationship between Biden and Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu, after reports indicated that Biden’s lack of contact with Netanyahu may be an indication of a decline in the level of relations between Washington and Tel Aviv, compared to what it was during the era of former President Donald Trump.
Blinken said: “President Biden and Netanyahu spoke during the transition period. He (Netanyahu) was among the first contacts that Biden made.”
On Monday, Netanyahu said that US President Joe Biden’s lack of contact with him “does not indicate a crack in US-Israeli relations.” He added in statements, during a joint press conference with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis, reported by the Jerusalem Post: “I spoke with President Biden immediately after his victory,” indicating that Biden “communicates according to the order he deems appropriate .. He did not reach the Middle East.” distance”.
He continued: “There is no doubt that our alliance is strong. This does not mean that we agree on everything, but our alliance is strong, and so has our friendship for nearly 40 years.”
Channel 13, one of the major Israeli channels, presented a report under the title “Why does Biden not answer Netanyahu’s phone?” It mocked the case of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in light of Biden’s lack of any phone contact with him since he officially took office in Last January 20, unlike the new American presidents, who usually initiate contact with the Israeli side, as it is the United States’ closest ally in the world.
The Israeli media witnessed many news and reports trying to explain the position of the US President towards Netanyahu.
The political circles in Israel interpreted Biden’s position as a “veiled message” to Netanyahu, by not making this contact or not mentioning Israel in his foreign policy speech, last Thursday.
The well-known Israeli writer Ben Caspet described in the newspaper “Maariv”, Netanyahu’s condition awaiting Biden’s call, saying: “Netanyahu continues to bite his nails, while he waits next to the phone for a long-awaited call from the White House.”
Malay News
International Desk
