Joe Biden
According to the Pentagon, at least 12 U.S. military members and dozens of Afghan civilians were killed near the Hamid Karzai International Airport’s Abbey Gate. Another explosion happened at the nearby Baron Hotel, where British forces were helping to facilitate the evacuation.
“I am bringing with me from Jerusalem a new spirit of cooperation, which rests on the special and long-standing connection between the two countries,” said Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
“The fact is, when there are new leaders, you have to renew those ties—you have to build the relationship,” said Eric Fingerhut, president and CEO for the Jewish Federations of North America.
While White House officials may understand that advancing the peace process now would be counterproductive, Dore Gold noted that “there is always a cottage industry of so-called experts who have proposals they want their bosses to advance when an Israeli prime minister comes to town.”
The two leaders are also expected to cover Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
On Monday, Biden met with outgoing Israeli President Reuven Rivlin at the White House, where the two discussed broad range of challenges, including Iran.
Ebrahim Raisi also said he wouldn’t meet with U.S. President Joe Biden, and that “the U.S. is obliged to lift all oppressive sanctions against Iran.”
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also thanked U.S. President Joe Biden for his recent support for Israel during the Gaza war.
Of prospects for peace between Israel and Palestinians, 60 percent said not been much has changed compared to a year ago, 25 percent are less optimistic, and 14 percent are more optimistic.
The president said that Attorney General Merrick Garland and the U.S. Department of Justice will be using the “all of the tools at its disposal to combat hate crimes.”
“We believe we need a united, all-of-government effort to combat rising anti-Semitism in this country,” they say, citing an uptick in violent acts that have occurred across the country.
The Biden administration believes that to prevent a return to violence, the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas must be used “to address a larger set of underlying issues and challenges,” said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, starting with the “grave” humanitarian situation in Gaza.
