Jake Sullivan arrives in Israel as Netanyahu’s government faces crisis

January 18, 2023
WASHINGTON — US national security adviser Jake Sullivan arrived in Israel on Wednesday and started meetings with senior officials, just as the country’s top court ruled Wednesday that Aryeh Deri, a Cabinet member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s newly formed government, cannot serve as minister due to a recent tax evasion conviction.
Sullivan’s visit is expected to focus on threats posed by Iran and efforts to expand normalization between Arab states and Israel, White House National Security Council coordinator John Kirby told reporters during a press briefing.
The meetings will also cover the Biden administration’s support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and opposition to any moves that could undermine that prospect, Kirby said.
Why it matters: Sullivan’s visit marks the culmination of the Biden administration’s attempt to clear the air with Netanyahu’s newly sworn-in right-wing government.
Netanyahu’s government has come under increased scrutiny in recent weeks for the behavior of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who visited the Temple Mount (Al-Aqsa Mosque complex) earlier this month, sparking a rebuke from the United States and condemnation from several Arab states.
The Biden administration’s strategy to support stability in the Middle East relies heavily on the prospect that Saudi Arabia and other Arab states will follow the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco in normalizing ties with Israel.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that greater regional cooperation should serve as a vehicle through which to incentivize progress toward Israeli-Palestinian talks.
Sullivan met with Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister and former Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer in Washington last week ahead of the meetings in Tel Aviv.