Middle East Monitor / January 9, 2023
American National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, and Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, are planning to visit Israel by the end of January, Israeli media and news agencies have reported.
The London-based Arabic newspaper, Al-Araby al-Jadeed, said that US officials will meet with senior Israeli officials including Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and head of the Israeli National Security Council, Tzachi Hanegbi.
Israeli news website Ynet news reported that Sullivan is expected to arrive in Israel on 19 January, while Blinken’s visit will take place a few days later.
Haaretz reported that US officials aim to make sure that Netanyahu’s government will not take unprecedented measures that cause a rupture with the Biden administration.
Sullivan has said that he would be “clear and direct” on the Biden administration’s opposition to policies that undermine a potential two-state solution during his visit.
Blinken has visited Israel a number of times since becoming secretary of state in 2021 and forged a close relationship with former Prime Minister, Yair Lapid.
Members of Netanyahu’s extremist right-wing government are expected to take unilateral measures related to reinforcing Israeli settlements beyond the Green Line and radical measures towards the Palestinian Authority.
