US national security adviser Jake Sullivan spoke on the phone on Saturday with his Israeli counterpart Meir Ben Shabbat, Israeli officials told Axios.
Why it matters: This is the first contact between the Biden White House and the Israeli prime minister’s office. During the transition, the Biden team refrained from speaking to foreign governments.
Driving the news: Israeli officials said the call was made primarily as an introduction and to initiate dialogue.
- One of the subjects discussed was Iran.
- The two national security advisers also covered the Abraham agreements – the biblical mark the government has given to individual standardization agreements between Israel and Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
- In the past few days, Sullivan has made calls to his colleagues in the UK, France, Germany, Japan and South Korea.
- The White House did not comment on the call with the Israeli national security adviser.
The big picture: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is concerned about President Biden’s stated goal of trying to resume the nuclear deal with Iran. Such a move could result in tensions between the Biden government and the Israeli government.
- Designated Secretary of State Tony Blinken said at his confirmation hearing this week that “there is a long way” until the deal with Iran is resumed.
- He stressed that the United States will consult Israel and the Gulf States before making any decisions.