JERUSALEM—America has not wavered in its commitment to Israeli security or to the friendship between the two nations, Joe Biden made clear during his visit to the Israeli capital on Tuesday.
“The cornerstone of the relationship is our absolute, total unvarnished commitment to Israel’s security,” said the American vice president in closing remarks after his meeting with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“The relationship between Israel and the United States has been and will continue to be a centerpiece—a centerpiece of American policy and it’s been that way since Israel’s founding in 1948,” said Biden.
The vice president stated that the American commitment to Israel’s security is what drives it forward in the pursuit of a strong action against the Iranian nuclear program. But he added that “the best long-term guarantee for Israel’s security is a comprehensive Middle East peace with the Palestinians, with the Syrians, with Lebanon, and leading eventually to full and normalized relationships with the entire Arab world.”
The two leaders also emphasized their personal friendship. At the end the briefing, Netanyahu handed to Biden a photo of several tree’s that had been planted in memory of Biden’s mother, who, according to Netanyahu, was an active supporter of Israel.
The vice president also met with Israeli President Shimon Peres. The two discussed the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, the newly announced indirect peace talks, the American-Israeli strategic alliance and the Iranian nuclear threat, among other issues.
Speaking about the peace negotiations, Biden stated, “We are at a moment of real opportunity. I hope the beginning of indirect or proximity talks is a vehicle by which we can begin to allay that layer of mistrust that has built over the last several years.”
Biden emphasized the U.S.-Israel bond repeatedly. In the note he inscribed in Peres’ guest book, he said: “The bond between our two nations has been and will remain unshakable. Only together can we achieve lasting peace in the region. I take comfort in knowing that you will be our partner in achieving this goal. May God continue to bless the great nation of Israel and its people. You are a great man.”
Later on Tuesday, Biden visited the Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem, laying a wreath on the tomb of Theodor Herzl, known as the “visionary of the Jewish state.”
One does not have to be Jewish to be a Zionist, said Biden in the wreath-laying ceremony, adding that he considers himself to be a Zionist.
Biden is on a four-day tour of the Middle East, this week, which also includes visits with the Palestinian Authority and Jordan.
“The cornerstone of the relationship is our absolute, total unvarnished commitment to Israel’s security,” said the American vice president in closing remarks after his meeting with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“The relationship between Israel and the United States has been and will continue to be a centerpiece—a centerpiece of American policy and it’s been that way since Israel’s founding in 1948,” said Biden.
The vice president stated that the American commitment to Israel’s security is what drives it forward in the pursuit of a strong action against the Iranian nuclear program. But he added that “the best long-term guarantee for Israel’s security is a comprehensive Middle East peace with the Palestinians, with the Syrians, with Lebanon, and leading eventually to full and normalized relationships with the entire Arab world.”
The two leaders also emphasized their personal friendship. At the end the briefing, Netanyahu handed to Biden a photo of several tree’s that had been planted in memory of Biden’s mother, who, according to Netanyahu, was an active supporter of Israel.
The vice president also met with Israeli President Shimon Peres. The two discussed the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, the newly announced indirect peace talks, the American-Israeli strategic alliance and the Iranian nuclear threat, among other issues.
Speaking about the peace negotiations, Biden stated, “We are at a moment of real opportunity. I hope the beginning of indirect or proximity talks is a vehicle by which we can begin to allay that layer of mistrust that has built over the last several years.”
Biden emphasized the U.S.-Israel bond repeatedly. In the note he inscribed in Peres’ guest book, he said: “The bond between our two nations has been and will remain unshakable. Only together can we achieve lasting peace in the region. I take comfort in knowing that you will be our partner in achieving this goal. May God continue to bless the great nation of Israel and its people. You are a great man.”
Later on Tuesday, Biden visited the Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem, laying a wreath on the tomb of Theodor Herzl, known as the “visionary of the Jewish state.”
One does not have to be Jewish to be a Zionist, said Biden in the wreath-laying ceremony, adding that he considers himself to be a Zionist.
Biden is on a four-day tour of the Middle East, this week, which also includes visits with the Palestinian Authority and Jordan.
