U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan spoke by telephone on Saturday with his Israeli counterpart Meir Ben Shabbat, Israeli officials told Axios.
Why it’s important: This is the first contact between Biden’s White House and the Israeli prime minister’s office. During the transition, Biden’s team refrained from talking to foreign governments.
Driving the news: Israeli officials said the call was primarily intended as an introduction and to initiate dialogue.
- One of the topics covered was Iran.
- The two national security advisers also covered the agreements of Abraham, the biblical mark that the administration has given to individual standardization agreements between Israel and Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
- In recent days, Sullivan has called on his counterparts in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan and South Korea.
- The White House did not comment on the call with the Israeli national security adviser.
The big picture: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is concerned about President Biden’s stated goal of trying to resume the nuclear deal with Iran. This measure could provoke tensions between the Biden administration and the Israeli government.
- Appointed Secretary of State Tony Blinken said at his confirmation hearing this week that “there is a long way to go” until the deal with Iran can be resumed.
- He stressed that the US will consult with Israel and the Gulf states before making decisions