President Reuven Rivlin met yesterday evening (Monday, 28 June 2021) with President of the United States of America Joe Biden at the White House in Washington DC.

 

The president’s farewell visit to the White House is at the invitation of President Biden, who wished to express his thanks for his term of office marked by advancing partnership, hope and understanding within the State of Israel and with its neighbors.

 

The meeting was attended by Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman; National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan; NSC Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk; and NSC Director for Israel-Palestine Julie Sawyer.

 

At the beginning of their meeting, the presidents gave statements to the press and President of the United States Joe Biden said to President Rivlin, “I just want to thank the president for your dedication to strengthening the relationship between the United States and Israel and as the American press have heard me say, my commitment to Israel is iron-clad. It’s real, it’s something that I always say is fundamental and this includes an unwavering commitment to your self-defense. Today we are going to be discussing a broad range of topics, including Iran. What I can say to you is Iran will never get a nuclear weapon on my watch. I directed last night’s air strikes, targeting sites used by Iranian-backed militia groups responsible for recent attacks on US personnel in Iraq. I have that authority under Article 2 and even those who were reluctant to acknowledge that, acknowledged that that’s the case.”

I also want to be clear that my team and I are already working closely with the Israeli government that took office earlier this month. We are looking forward to hosting Prime Minister Bennett at the White House very soon. The US fully supports normalization of relations between Israel and Middle Eastern countries that you are making headway on and in Africa as well and beyond. This is important progress, and we are really looking forward to building back a wider plot of peace and stability. Moving forward. Mr. President, the United States and Israel will continue to work together for peace in the region and stability. I have only one regret – losing you as president. Welcome.”

 

President Rivlin said to President Biden, “Mr. President, I am really delighted to be here once again at the White House with you, the President of the United States. Israel has no greater friend and ally than the United States of America. You are our best friends and the bonds between the people of Israel and the people of America have always been based on the understanding that we share values of democracy and liberalism. Because of that, we may from time to time hold discussions on issues on which we do not agree. Your words just now deepen the understanding that we have a great friend in the White House. God bless you, God bless the people of America and God bless the relationship between our two nations and our two states.”

 

During their meeting, the president spoke at length about the commitment of the US to Israel’s national security and the US defense package to Israel, particularly in the wake of Operation Guardian of the Walls in Gaza. The president thanked President Biden for his military and diplomatic support, and for his personal involvement during the operation.

 

Talking about the Iranian nuclear threat, President Rivlin emphasized that this was the gravest strategic threat faced by the free world and that Iran’s policy, particularly after the recent elections, is dangerous and extremist.

 

The president stressed Israel’s position that the Iranian nuclear deal, as it currently stands, endangers the State of Israel and the concern about Iranian military build-up on Israel’s borders, evidenced by Hezbollah’s arming with precision missiles and Hamas’ strengthening in Gaza.

 

Talking about the Palestinians, President Rivlin emphasized that building confidence and trust was a condition for a diplomatic process and that moving the conflict to the International Criminal Court and to the United Nations would be destructive to relations between Israel and the Palestinians.

 

The president noted that the State of Israel attaches great importance to strengthening the Palestinian Authority, partly because of the threat posed by Hamas. In this regard, President Rivlin stressed that the rehabilitation of Gaza would only be possible when it was understood that the issue of Israel’s missing soldiers and civilians, held by Hamas, needed to be resolved. The president reiterated that the Abraham Accords were a turning-point in regional relations between Israel and its neighbors, saying that Israel would welcome and appreciate any American support for strengthening the circle of peace.

 

The president presented President Biden with a coin from the First Jewish Uprising against the Romans. It is a replica of a coin produced in Jerusalem when it was under Roman siege. On one side of the coin there are three half pomegranates, with the words ‘Holy Jerusalem’ written around them.

 

Anat, the president’s daughter who is accompanying him on his visit, presented the Bidens with a pair of mugs made for them by Israeli ceramicist Irit Biran from Sde Warburg. She produces personalized, hand-made ceramics produced on a potter’s wheel. Anat said that local crafts are very important to the family and that she was glad to have the opportunity to share with the Bidens the unique artistic skills to be found in Israel. Speaking to President Biden, Anat told him that she brought a message from her daughters, aged nine and 11, who asked her to thank President Biden for his efforts to save the planet and for what he is doing regarding climate change.

 

After the presidents’ meeting, which followed the planned schedule, President Rivlin continued to the United States Congress, where he was met by Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.

 

Pelosi welcomed the president warmly, saying “It is a great honor for me to welcome you as Speaker of the House of Representatives, and a personal honor for me as someone who has watched with appreciation your work over the years. All along the way, we have had a wonderful friendship. Congressional support for Israel has always been bipartisan, as you hoped, and will continue to be so, because of the values we share and the security concerns we have in common. Right now, members from both parties are waiting to meet you. Thank you for your friendship and for your visit. It is a great honor for us to host you.”

 

The president thanked the speaker for her moving words and for participating in the events to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau held at Beit HaNasi in January 2020. “Israel has no greater friend than the United States. The unique bonds between our peoples have always been based on shared values of democracy. We are friends and partners, and as such we may have disagreements from time to time, but they will never endanger our friendship. Our shared mission crosses party lines. When leadership changes, the commitment between us only gets stronger. I know that the security and well-being of the Israeli people and of the American Jews are issues very close to your heart. Thank you for that, and to the administration and to the American people as a whole.”

 

The meeting was attended by Democratic Congress Members James E Clyburn, Gregory Meeks, Adam Schiff, and Ted Deutch and Republican Congress Members Kevin McCarthy, Steve Scalise, Steve Chabot, John Wilson and David Kustoff.

 

During his visit to Washington, the president met with the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the United States Yousef Al Otaiba, who played a key role in advancing the Abraham Accords. The president thanked him and emphasized that he would do everything he could to widen the circle of peace.