Biden affirms support for normalisation of ties between Israel, Arab nations

Nearly a month after coming to office, President Joe Biden on Wednesday (local time) spoke to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the first time since the inauguration and reiterated the United States' support for the recent normalisation of relations between Israel and countries in the Arab and Muslim world. 

During the telephonic conversation, Biden affirmed his personal history of steadfast commitment to Israel's security and conveyed his intent to strengthen all aspects of the US-Israel partnership, including strong defence cooperation, according to an official statement issued by the White House. 

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Netanyahu was the first leader in the Middle East to get a call from Biden, according to The Jerusalem Post. During the interaction, both leaders discussed the importance of continued close consultation on regional security issues, including Iran. 

"Biden underscored the importance of working to advance peace throughout the region, including between Israelis and Palestinians," the statement said. 

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Both leaders also affirmed their shared interest in continued strategic cooperation to confront the many challenges facing the region. 

Following the interaction, Biden tweeted, "I spoke today with Israeli PM Netanyahu and affirmed the United States' steadfast commitment to our ally Israel's security. Our teams are in constant touch to strengthen US-Israel strategic cooperation on all regional security issues, including Iran."  

Last year on December 16, US President Donald Trump had presided over the signing ceremony at the White House to establish the foundation of the peace agreements between Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.