US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Israel to take steps to de-escalate West Bank tensions when he met with Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer in Washington as the Biden administration eyes a deal with Saudi Arabia that would normalize ties between the Jewish state and Riyadh.
“The Secretary reaffirmed the United States’ enduring friendship and steadfast commitment to Israel’s security,” the State Department said after the meeting.
The two men discussed the threats posed by Iran and its regional proxies, including in Lebanon.
Israel concerned over $6 billion deal between US and Iran
They met as Israel is concerned that the US would accept an agreement with Tehran that would allow it to maintain nuclear capacity. Israel is particularly concerned by the deal brokered earlier this month for the release of five Iranian hostages in exchange for the release of $6 billion in Iranian funds from a South Korean bank.
But they also met as the US eyes a deal with Saudi Arabia, which could have a civilian nuclear program with uranium enrichment capacity, a necessary step in nuclear weapons production.
'Ongoing efforts to further Israel’s full integration into the Middle East'
Blinken and Dermer “discussed ongoing efforts to further Israel’s full integration into the Middle East,” the State Department said in a nod to the Saudi issue.
Blinken also spoke by phone on Thursday with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan “to discuss a range of bilateral and regional issues,” the State Department said.
It emphasized that in Blinken’s conversation with Dermer the issue of the Israeli-Palestinian was also raised.
“The Secretary emphasized the importance of Israel and the Palestinians taking affirmative steps to de-escalate tensions and bolster stability in the West Bank,” the State Department said.
Israel is under pressure from the US to halt settlement activity and to provide the Palestinian Authority with economic gestures.
US State Department Deputy spokesman Vadant Patel separately told reporters in Washington that the US was concerned by Israel’s advancement of the legalization of West Bank outposts.
“We strongly oppose the advancements of settlements and urge Israel to refrain from this activity, including the promotion of outposts,” US State Department Deputy spokesman Vadant Patel said. “We take this issue very seriously, and it impinges on the viability of a two-state solution,” Patel said.
The left-wing Israeli group Peace Now on Thursday said that Israel was planning to invest NIS 700 million in settler activity in the West Bank, of which NIS 27.6 million was earmarked to help legalize outposts.