Netanyahu meets with Biden, says Saudi-Israeli normalization possible
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US President Joe Biden says he and Netanyahu would discuss "hard issues" including what he called upholding "democratic values".
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US President Joe Biden meets with Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly in New York City, on September 20, 2023 (AFP)
US President Joe Biden met on Wednesday with Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the first time since the latter's re-election in December.
Biden said he and the Israeli premier would discuss "hard issues" including what he called upholding "democratic values", amid criticism of the Israeli government's controversial judicial overhaul that would limit the powers of the Israeli Supreme Court.
Meeting with Netanyahu on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, the US President said he hoped to see Netanyahu in Washington "by the end of the year."
Reuters reported that during the meeting, US President Biden told Israeli PM Netanyahu that "US commitment to Israel is ironclad," adding that he hopes to "get some things settled today."
On his part, Netanyahu said a US-backed deal to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia was possible. Biden has been pushing the Israeli occupation to agree to a normalization peace deal with Saudi Arabia.
"I think that under your leadership, Mr. President [Biden], we can forge a historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia," Netanyahu told reporters, adding that it could "go a long way" to achieve peace between "Israel" and the Palestinians.
This comes as a couple of days ago, the Saudi Elaph news website cited an unnamed Israeli official as saying that Saudi Arabia has informed the Biden administration that it will halt normalization talks with "Israel".
The official who works at Netanyahu's office said the possibility of an agreement has been nullified as far-right figures, such as Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, are against any sort of rapprochement with the Palestinians, and thus with the Saudis.
Furthermore, the Israeli official emphasized that the United States has informed the Israelis of Saudi Arabia's decision to "halt any talks with Americans regarding normalization or taking any step towards Israel, and the Israeli leadership is in a state of confusion," knowing that many experts, ministers, and even the Prime Minister had previously believed that Saudi Arabia would normalize relations with them without considering Palestinian demands.
Democrat Biden previously described Netanyahu's government as "one of the most extremist," and criticized plans for judicial reform that have sparked mass protests in "Israel".
Ties have been further strained by the Israeli occupation government's expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
"Even where we have some differences, my commitment to Israel, you know, is ironclad," Biden said, adding that he and Netanyahu would also discuss how to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Before the meeting, Israeli figures, including writer David Grossman recently wrote an open letter urging Biden not to meet Netanyahu.
In a seeming slap in the face to Netanyahu, the US President in July hosted Israeli occupation President Isaac Herzog in the Oval Office.
Read more: Biden to host pacific leaders in Washington next week
