Edited by: Fern Sidman
Marking the centerpiece of a 48-hour visit to Israel, President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid engaged in one-on-one talks on Thursday in Jerusalem that were aimed at strengthening already tight relations between the U.S and Israel. The leaders issued a joint declaration emphasizing military cooperation and a commitment to keeping Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
The joint declaration read as follows:
The United States and Israel reaffirm the unbreakable bonds between our two countries and the enduring commitment of the United States to Israel’s security. Our countries further reaffirm that the strategic U.S.-Israel partnership is based on a bedrock of shared values, shared interests, and true friendship. Furthermore, the United States and Israel affirm that among the values the countries share is an unwavering commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and the calling of “Tikkun Olam,” repairing the world. The leaders express appreciation to former Prime Minister Bennett, who led the most diverse government in Israel’s history, and under whose leadership this extraordinary partnership has continued to grow stronger.
Consistent with the longstanding security relationship between the United States and Israel and the unshakeable U.S. commitment to Israel’s security, and especially to the maintenance of its qualitative military edge, the United States reiterates its steadfast commitment to preserve and strengthen Israel’s capability to deter its enemies and to defend itself by itself against any threat or combination of threats. The United States further reiterates that these commitments are bipartisan and sacrosanct, and that they are not only moral commitments, but also strategic commitments that are vitally important to the national security of the United States itself.
The United States stresses that integral to this pledge is the commitment never to allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, and that it is prepared to use all elements of its national power to ensure that outcome. The United States further affirms the commitment to work together with other partners to confront Iran’s aggression and destabilizing activities, whether advanced directly or through proxies and terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The United States and Israel note that nothing better reflects the steadfast and bipartisan support of the United States to Israel’s security than the unprecedented Memoranda of Understanding on security assistance signed by successive U.S. administrations over the last few decades, and that these arrangements demonstrate in word and deed that the United States considers Israel’s security essential to U.S. interests and an anchor of regional stability.
The United States strongly supports implementing the terms of the current historic $38 billion Memorandum of Understanding in full, which honors the United States’ enduring commitment to Israel’s security, as well as its conviction that a follow-on MOU should address emerging threats and new realities. In addition, the United States is committed to seeking additional missile defense assistance in excess of MOU levels, in exceptional circumstances such as the hostilities with Hamas over eleven days in May 2021. Israel appreciates the U.S. commitment to the MOU and for providing an additional $1 billion over MOU levels in supplemental missile defense funding following the 2021 conflict. Further, the countries express enthusiasm to move forward the U.S.-Israel defense partnership through cooperation in cutting-edge defense technologies such as high energy laser weapons systems to defend the skies of Israel and in the future those of other U.S. and Israel security partners.
Israel thanks the United States for its ongoing and extensive support for deepening and broadening the historic Abraham Accords. The countries affirm that Israel’s peace and normalization agreements with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco constitute a critical addition to Israel’s strategic peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, all of which are important to the future of the Middle East region and to the cause of regional security, prosperity, and peace. The countries note that the historic Negev Summit, initiated and hosted by Prime Minister Lapid, was a landmark event in joint U.S.-Israeli efforts to build a new regional framework that is changing the face of the Middle East.
The United States and Israel welcome in this regard the meeting held in Manama, Bahrain on June 27th, forming the Negev Forum on regional cooperation. The United States welcomes these developments and is committed to continue playing an active role, including in the context of President Biden’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, in building a robust regional architecture; to deepen the ties between Israel and all of its regional partners; to advance Israel’s regional integration over time; and to expand the circle of peace to include ever more Arab and Muslim States.
The United States and Israel also welcome the opportunity to participate in a quadrilateral (hybrid) meeting, together with the leaders of India and the United Arab Emirates, in the context of the I2U2 initiative, bringing together these four countries to advance cooperation in economy and strategic infrastructure, and demonstrating the importance of this new partnership, first launched by their Foreign Ministers in October 2021.
The United States and Israel reiterate their concerns regarding the ongoing attacks against Ukraine, their commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and affirm the importance of continued humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine.
The United States and Israel affirm that they will continue to work together to combat all efforts to boycott or de-legitimize Israel, to deny its right to self-defense, or to unfairly single it out in any forum, including at the United Nations or the International Criminal Court. While fully respecting the right to freedom of expression, they firmly reject the BDS campaign. The two countries will use the tools at their disposal to fight every scourge and source of antisemitism and to respond whenever legitimate criticism crosses over into bigotry and hatred or attempts to undermine Israel’s rightful and legitimate place among the family of nations. In this context, they express their deep concern over the global surge in antisemitism and reassert their commitment to counter this ancient hatred in all of its manifestations. The United States is proud to stand with the Jewish and democratic State of Israel, and with its people, whose uncommon courage, resilience, and spirit of innovation are an inspiration to so many worldwide.
The United States and Israel commit to continuing to discuss the challenges and opportunities in Israeli-Palestinian relations. The countries condemn the deplorable series of terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens in recent months and affirm the need to confront radical forces, such as Hamas, seeking to inflame tension and instigate violence and terrorism. President Biden reaffirms his longstanding and consistent support of a two-state solution and for advancing toward a reality in which Israelis and Palestinians alike can enjoy equal measures of security, freedom and prosperity. The United States stands ready to work with Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and regional stakeholders toward that goal. The leaders also affirm their shared commitment to initiatives that strengthen the Palestinian economy and improve the quality of life of Palestinians.
The United States and Israel enjoy extensive bilateral cooperation and dialogue between their two countries in many critical spheres – from groundbreaking collaboration in science and technology, to unique intelligence sharing and joint military exercises, to shared efforts in confronting pressing global challenges such as climate change, food security, and healthcare. To complement the extensive existing scientific and technological cooperation between their two countries, and to bring their cooperation to a new height, the leaders launched a new U.S.-Israel Strategic High-Level Dialogue on Technology to form a U.S.-Israel technological partnership in critical and emerging technologies, as well as in areas of global concern: pandemic preparedness, climate change, artificial intelligence, and trusted technology. This new technological partnership will be designed to boost the countries’ mutual innovation ecosystems and address geostrategic challenges.
In this same spirit, the United States and Israel affirm their commitment to continue their shared and accelerated efforts to enable Israeli passport holders to be included in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program as soon as possible, as well as their support for increased collaboration on operational cyber exchange and on combatting cybercrime. The leaders state that all of these initiatives, and countless other joint endeavors, undertaken between their peoples at every level of government and civil society demonstrate that the U.S.-Israel strategic partnership is indispensable and makes an outsized contribution not only to the good of American and Israeli citizens but also to the good of the Middle East and of the world.
With this record of remarkable achievement and with a sense of the incredible promise that the unparalleled U.S.-Israel relationship holds for the future, the United States and Israel warmly welcome entering the 75th year of this extraordinary partnership.
The joint declaration was signed by both President Biden and Prime Minister Lapid.
Biden, in a joint news conference after the one-on-one meeting with Lapid, said he still wants to give diplomacy a chance. The AP reported that moments earlier, Lapid insisted that words alone won’t thwart Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
While Biden suggested his patience with Iran was running low, he held out hope that Iran can be persuaded to rejoin a dormant deal intended to prevent it from building a nuclear weapon.
“I continue to believe that diplomacy is the best way to achieve this outcome,” Biden said on the second day of a four-day visit to Israel and Saudi Arabia, as was reported by the AP. It’s his first trip to the Middle East as president.
Biden’s emphasis on a diplomatic solution contrasted with Lapid, who said Iran must face a real threat of force before it will agree to give up on its nuclear ambitions.
“Words will not stop them, Mr. President. Diplomacy will not stop them,” Lapid said, as was reported by the AP. “The only thing that will stop Iran is knowing that if they continue to develop their nuclear program the free world will use force.”
Lapid suggested that he and Biden were in agreement, despite his tougher rhetoric toward Iran.
“I don’t think there’s a light between us,” he said. “We cannot allow Iran to become nuclear.”
The AP reported that Biden, too, said, “We will not, let me say it again, we will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon.”
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi lashed out at the U.S. and “its regional allies” for stoking instability in the region, state-run IRNA news agency reported.
“Any mistake by the Americans and their allies in the region and the world will be met with a harsh and regrettable response,” Raisi said, as was reported by the AP.
Biden warned that his patience is wearing thin for Iran to rejoin the nuclear deal, a day after saying he’d be willing to use force against Tehran as a last resort. The president said the U.S. had laid out for the Iranian leadership a path to return to the nuclear deal and was still waiting for a response.
“When that will come, I’m not certain,” Biden said, as was reported by the AP. “But we’re not going to wait forever.”
Resurrecting the Iran nuclear deal brokered by Barack Obama’s administration and abandoned by Donald Trump in 2018 was a key priority for Biden as he entered office, according to the AP report. But administration officials have become increasingly pessimistic about the chances of getting Tehran back into compliance.
The AP reported that Israeli officials have sought to use Biden’s first visit to the Middle East as president to underscore that Iran’s nuclear program has progressed too far and encourage the Biden administration to scuttle efforts to revive the deal.
Israel opposed the original nuclear deal because its limitations on Iran’s nuclear enrichment would expire and the agreement didn’t address Iran’s ballistic missile program or military activities in the region.
Instead of the U.S. reentering the deal, Israel would prefer strict sanctions in hopes of leading to a more sweeping accord, according to the AP report.
Iran announced last week that it has enriched uranium to 60% purity, a technical step away from weapons-grade quality.
The AP reported that the joint declaration could hold important symbolic importance for Biden’s upcoming meeting with Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia as he seeks to strengthen a regionwide alliance against Iran.
Biden is scheduled to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Friday. He also stressed to Lapid the importance of Israel becoming “totally integrated” in the region, according to the AP report.
Israel during the Trump administration signed on to the Abraham Accords, declarations of diplomatic and economic normalization signed by Israel, Bahrain, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates that were the signature foreign policy achievement for the nation’s 45th president. For Israel to come to such an agreement with the Saudis, an economic and Islamic epicenter in the Mideast, would be even more significant, as was reported by the AP.
Lapid asked Biden to deliver a message on behalf of Israel to the Arab leaders he’ll meet with in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: “Our hand is outstretched for peace.”
“Your visit to Saudi Arabia is important for Israel and for the region,” Lapid added, according to the AP report. “For our security and for the future prosperity of the Middle East.”
The AP reported that the president will visit Saudi Arabia after calling the kingdom a “pariah” nation as a presidential candidate and releasing a U.S. intelligence finding last year that showed the kingdom’s de facto leader, Mohammed bin Salman, likely approved the 2018 killing of Washington Post reporter, Jamal Khashoggi.
Biden declined to commit to mentioning Khashoggi’s murder when he meets with the crown prince.
“I always bring up human rights,” Biden said at the news conference, according to the AP report. “But my position on Khashoggi has been so clear. If anyone doesn’t understand it, in Saudi Arabia or anywhere else, then they haven’t been around for a while.” He did not reiterate his position.
Thursday’s appearances with Lapid could provide a boost to Israeli prime minister, who is serving in an interim capacity until elections in November, the fifth in less than four years. The AP reported that his main opponent is former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Lapid’s joint appearance with Biden could help burnish his credentials as a statesman and leader. Biden met briefly behind closed doors with Netanyahu.
The AP reported that iden didn’t mention Israel’s upcoming election during the public portion of Thursday’s meeting with Lapid, but told reporters “we had a good beginning of a long, God willing, relationship.”
Biden was also honored with Israel’s top civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Honor that was presented to him from Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
Biden finished his day with a stop at Jerusalem’s Teddy Stadium to greet U.S. athletes competing in the Maccabiah Games, according to the AP report. Also known as the “Jewish Olympics,” it’s the country’s largest sporting event and held every four years for Israeli and Jewish athletes from all over world. (Sources: AP)
