Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Sunday he spoke with US President Joe Biden and discussed regional challenges, growing Iranian aggression and possible steps to stop the Iranian nuclear program, according to the Prime Minister's Office.
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The call came just hours after Bennett warned at a weekly cabinet meeting that the deal being negotiated with Iran in Vienna "will damage [Israel's] ability to deal with" the nuclear threat posed by the Islamic republic.
I had an important conversation tonight with my friend @POTUS. We discussed various matters—including Iran. I thanked President Biden for his steadfast support for Israel.
Together, we reaffirmed the strong and unwavering alliance between our two nations.
🇮🇱🇺🇸— Naftali Bennett בנט (@naftalibennett) February 6, 2022
"The greatest threat against the State of Israel is Iran. Whoever thinks that an agreement will increase stability – is mistaken. It will temporarily delay enrichment, but all of us in the region will pay a heavy, disproportionate price for it," Bennett said.
"Israel reserves its right to act in any case, with or without an agreement," he added.
The White House said in a statement that the leaders discussed "the threat posed by Iran and its proxies."
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), along with the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and other pro-Israel organizations, are expected to oppose the emerging nuclear deal with Iran. Senior officials in these organizations said they recently received information regarding the substance of the talks in Vienna and the projected clauses set to be included in the new deal.
AIPAC over the weekend harshly criticized Biden's decision to lift some of the sanctions imposed on Iran. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken restored sanctions waivers to Iran to allow international civilian nuclear cooperation projects.
An official statement from AIPAC said the organization was extremely concerned about concessions toward Iran "without clear commitments from Iran" to cease its efforts to acquire nuclear weapons. Maintaining pressure on Iran, the lobby group said, was "critical to reaching a comprehensive and permanent diplomatic solution" that will assure the world that Iran will not have nuclear weapons and stop its "evil behavior."
Bennett and Biden also spoke about Russia-Ukraine tensions and Bennett said he congratulated Biden on the US raid that led to the death of the leader of the Islamic State jihadist group, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, the PMO said, noting that "the world is now a safer place thanks to the courageous operation of the US forces."
Bennett thanked Biden for his support of Israel and invited him to visit. Biden told Bennett he looked forward to a visit later this year, the White House said in a statement.
Biden also emphasized to Bennett his "ironclad support" for replenishing Israel's Iron Dome missile-defense system.
I spoke today with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett of Israel to address challenges facing the Middle East, including the threat posed by Iran. I conveyed ironclad support for Israel's security and underscored my commitment to security, stability, and prosperity in the region.
— President Biden (@POTUS) February 7, 2022
It was the first conversation between the two leaders since they met in August in Washington and again in October at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow.
The White House said Biden told Bennett that he planned to visit Israel later this year.
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