Israeli officials expressed concern Thursday over the new USadministration’s plan to revive a nuclear deal with Iran as well asreengaging in the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, Israeli dailiesreported.
This follows the swearing-in on Wednesday of Joe Biden as the 46thpresident of the US in an official inauguration ceremony at the CapitolBuilding attended by top political figures and former presidents.
The Israeli officials, however, expressed relief with the newadministration’s announcement not to retreat from US recognition ofJerusalem as the capital of Israel as well as keeping the US embassy inJerusalem.
The decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital was taken on Dec.6, 2017 during the presidency of Donald Trump, who also ordered therelocation of the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
*Concerns over revival of nuclear deal*
Walla, an Israeli daily, wrote that senior Israeli government officials arecurrently displaying “symptoms of drug addicts in the rehabilitationprocess” after being “pampered” for four years by Trump.
Israel concerned over Biden’s stance on Iran, Palestinelink
“[Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s fears are understandable andnot surprising. The new administration of US President Joe Biden is tryingto calm these fears a little. However, it is not clear whether it willsucceed in that,” it added.
“In a congressional hearing, Secretary of State-designate Antony Blinkentried to send reassuring messages about the Iranian file, not only to theRepublicans but also to Israel and the Gulf states, who in recent weekshave been urging Biden not to return to an agreement with Iran and that hemust consult with them in advance.”
According to Walla, Blinken reassured America’s allies in the Middle Eastthat returning to the nuclear agreement is a long process that will happenwith their consultation.
The daily noted that Netanyahu was also concerned with some of Biden’spicks for top-level positions. These include Robert Malley, who is beingconsidered for special envoy on Iran, Wendy Sherman, Biden’s nominee fordeputy secretary of state, his nominee for CIA director, and his nationalsecurity advisor Jake Sullivan.
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These officials, in one way or the other, had a role in the negotiationsleading to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which was vehemently opposed byIsrael and some Gulf states.
In 2018, Trump pulled out of the nuclear agreement, a move Israel praisedas “historic.”
*Palestinian-Israeli peace process under Biden*
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Commenting on Biden’s possible stance on the Palestinian-Israeli peaceprocess, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the Israelinewspaper Maariv that he welcomed the announcement by Blinken of the newadministration’s commitment to a two-state solution while not retractingfrom Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
“This indicates that he is a friend of Israel,” Olmert said of Biden. “Onlythose who are not friends of Israel can support leaving the politicalsituation as it is, which is contrary to Israeli interests,” he said,referring to the lack of a breakthrough in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
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Olmert stressed that the two-state solution is “the only way” to reach anend to the historical conflict between Israelis and the Palestinians.
Israeli right-wing parties, which dominate the political arena, reject thetwo-state solution and call for the annexation of about a third of the WestBank.
The Palestinians accused the Trump administration of being completelybiased towards Israel.
Illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank more than quadrupledunder his presidency. In addition, Trump pushed for Arab-Israelinormalization in complete disregard of the 1993 Oslo accords on a two-statesolution.
For its part, the Jerusalem Post newspaper listed a rundown of 11 seniorJewish-American officials designated for top roles in the Bidenadministration.
The names include Treasury Secretary-designate Janet Yellen, Secretary ofState-designate Antony Blinken, incoming Deputy Secretary of State WendySherman, Homeland Security secretary nominee Alejandro Mayorkas, AttorneyGeneral nominee Merrick Garland and incoming White House Chief of StaffRonald Klein.
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The list also includes Senate-confirmed National Intelligence DirectorAvril Haines, nominee for Deputy Health Secretary Rachel Levine, NationalSecurity Agency Cybersecurity Director Anne Neuberger, CIA Deputy DirectorDavid Cohen and Office of Science and Technology Policy Director EricLander.
In a congratulatory video message to the US president and vice president,Netanyahu expressed his eagerness to work with Biden on expanding peacebetween Israel and the Arab world as well as “to confront commonchallenges, chief among them the threat posed by Iran.”
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz also congratulated Biden and Harris,tweeting: “I am certain that our unwavering alliance will continue to servethe greater goals of a more stable and prosperous Middle East, and a morepeaceful world.”
