White House says Biden will call Netanyahu ‘soon’

The White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Thursday that US President Joe Biden will call Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “soon.”

“He’ll be talking with him soon. I don’t have a specific date or time for you on that,” Psaki said in response to a question from a reporter, as questions rose in the media as to why the two haven’t had their traditional first phone call since the inauguration over three weeks ago.

The reporter referenced a tweet from former Israeli ambassador to the UN Danny Danon that urged Biden to call the leader of “the closest ally of the US.”

Danon wrote on Twitter that Biden had called world leaders from different countries, including Canada, the UK, France, India, Germany and Japan.

“Might it now be time to call the leader of Israel, the closest ally of the US? The PM’s number is: 972-2-6705555,” Danon added.

@POTUS Joe Biden, you have called world leaders from#Canada#Mexico#UK#India#France#Germany#Japan#Australia#SouthKorea#Russia
Might it now be time to call the leader of #Israel, the closest ally of the #US?
The PM's number is: 972-2-6705555 pic.twitter.com/OYgPvVga6F

— Ambassador Danny Danon | דני דנון (@dannydanon) February 10, 2021

Psaki also said, “The president looks forward to speaking with Prime Minister Netanyahu. He’s obviously someone he has a longstanding relationship with and obviously there’s an important relationship that the US has with Israel on the security front as a key partner in the region.”

דוברת הבית הלבן @PressSec נשאלת על הציוץ של דני דנון ולמה ביידן ונתניהו טרם שוחחו, אומרת כי ביידן מתפה לשיחה וזה צפוי לקרות בקרוב אבל שאין לה תאריך ספציפי למסור pic.twitter.com/8mJkcbXPtD

— יונה לייבזון yuna leibzon (@YunaLeibzon) February 11, 2021

Also, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked about the issue on Monday and told CNN, “I’m sure that they’ll have occasion to speak in the near future.”

Former Israeli consul-general in New York Dani Dayan said he interprets the issue “as a clear sign of displeasure.”

Khalil Jahshan, executive director of the Arab Center Washington DC, said Danon’s atypical Twitter overture to Biden stemmed from the unusual nature of relations between the two countries, in which the US treats Israel like a “spoiled child”.

“It’s behaviour typical of a brat,” Jahshan told Middle East Eye(MEE).

“When you don’t get your way – even on minor things – you feel like it’s a zero sum game. That’s the only way to put this type of complaint in context.”

“The Israeli media, particularly the liberal media, is using it to tweak Netanyahu, to tease him,” Jahshan told MEE. “And that is embarrassing on the domestic scene… Before the elections, they are basically trying to portray Netanyahu as having messed up the special relationship with the United States.”

Former President Donald Trump called Netanyahu on January 22, 2017 – two days after being sworn in – and invited the Israeli premier to the White House. The paid had a “warm conversation”, according to a statement by the Israeli government.

Jahshan meanwhile noted that there may be some tensions in the relationship between Biden and Netanyahu, as in 2010, Israeli occupation announced a major settlement expansion in East Jerusalem during a visit by President Biden.

The move was seen as a personal insult to Biden, who denounced it in uncharacteristically stern terms for a US government public statement concerning ‘Israel’.

“I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem,” Biden said in a statement during his visit.

“The substance and timing of the announcement, particularly with the launching of proximity talks, is precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now and runs counter to the constructive discussions that I’ve had here in Israel.”

Jahshan said the Israeli decision at the time was a “spit in the face” to Biden’s efforts to revive peace talks.

“He hasn’t forgotten the mistreatment that he has received from Netanyahu before, there is no doubt about it.”

Israeli media reported, however, that on Monday, Netanyahu said that he expected Biden to call him “soon,” and that they would meet when the latter starts contacting Middle East leaders, “as he sees fit, appropriate.”

The fact that Biden has not yet called him is not “a sign” of strife in the American-Israeli relations, Netanyahu said.