Netanyahu: Our Relations with the US Are Strong in All Areas

Ahead of US Vice President Joe Biden's trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories, Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized on Sunday that despite differences over the nuclear deal with Iran, the ties between the United States and Israel are strong. On Sunday, March 6, the French news agency reported from Jerusalem that the Israeli Prime Minister, at the start of his weekly cabinet meeting, noted the upcoming visit of the US Vice President, stating that 'this visit reflects the strong relationship between Israel and our ally, the United States.' Mr. Netanyahu added that 'there are those who have predicted the collapse of these relations, but that is not the case. Our relations are strong in all areas, including in facing challenges in the region that we stand together against.' Joe Biden is scheduled to visit the region on Tuesday to meet and discuss with Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as hold talks in Ramallah with Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority. The French news agency noted that Israel and the United States, after deep disagreements over the nuclear deal with Iran, which Netanyahu strongly opposed, are now working to move past these differences and are working on a new 10-year military aid package. This new package includes an annual $3.1 billion aid to Israel as well as additional financial assistance for projects such as the country's missile defense system. Biden's visit comes at a time when Israel and the Palestinian territories have experienced another wave of violence over the past five months, resulting in the deaths of 181 Palestinians and 28 Israelis. The French news agency reports that according to Israeli sources, most of the Palestinian victims during this period were killed while carrying out attacks against Israeli citizens with knives, firearms, or vehicles. Some of these Palestinian victims were also killed by Israeli forces during clashes and protests. The White House announced on Friday that Mr. Biden does not intend to pursue any major initiatives for peace during his trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories. In this context, the French news agency recalled that former US President Barack Obama acknowledged that a comprehensive peace agreement would not be achieved before the end of his term in January 2017. Obama's administration had made explicit criticisms regarding construction in Jewish settlements in the occupied territories, which had fueled tensions in the relations between the two countries. At the same time, the French news agency predicted that the issue of combating ISIS would be one of the main topics of discussion between Biden and Netanyahu.