Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Monday that Israel will remain the United States' closest ally in the Middle East, regardless of the outcome of the upcoming presidential election.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Monday that Israel will remain the United States' closest ally in the Middle East, regardless of the outcome of the upcoming presidential election.
Netanyahu made these comments before heading to Washington to address Congress, marking his first visit to the US since beginning his record sixth term as prime minister at the end of 2022.
The visit comes in the context of President Joe Biden's announcement not to seek reelection.
During his trip, Netanyahu plans to express gratitude to Biden for his support of Israel and to discuss key issues, including the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, the fight against the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, and strategies for dealing with Iran and its regional allies.
A meeting with President Biden is tentatively set for Tuesday, contingent on the 81-year-old president's recovery from Covid-19. Netanyahu is scheduled to address Congress on Wednesday.
"I will tell my friends on both sides of the aisle that regardless of who the American people choose as their next president, Israel remains America's indispensable and strong ally in the Middle East," Netanyahu told reporters before taking off.
"In this time of war and uncertainty, it's important that Israel's enemies know that America and Israel stand together today, tomorrow and always," Netanyahu said, adding he wanted to "anchor the bipartisan support that is so important for Israel".
After months of strained relations with Washington over Israel's actions in Gaza following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to visit the US. This visit provides him with an opportunity to mend ties with Washington.
In his upcoming speech to Congress, Netanyahu is expected to focus on aligning Israeli and US strategies regarding the escalating situation in the Middle East, where there is an increasing risk of the Gaza conflict expanding into a broader regional war.
This address is anticipated to be more conciliatory compared to his 2015 speech to Congress, where he criticized then-President Barack Obama's pursuit of a nuclear agreement with Iran.