WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday pledged enduring ties with Israel but warned against inflaming tensions with the Palestinians, following a rare public spat between the allies.
President Joe Biden, speaking to reporters Tuesday, called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step back from a bid to weaken the judiciary that has set off massive protests.
Netanyahu, who at least temporarily froze the push faced with a general strike, responded that he would not bow to foreign pressure but took a more conciliatory tone when he participated in a democracy summit called by Biden.
In the highest level contact since the exchange, Blinken called Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and “reaffirmed the importance of the enduring US-Israel bilateral relationship,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said.
Blinken also discussed Iran, seen by Netanyahu as a paramount threat, and renewed US support for a Palestinian state — an idea rejected by much of Netanyahu’s hard-right government.
The top US diplomat “emphasized the importance of refraining from unilateral actions that exacerbate tensions,” Patel said in a statement.
Cohen, in a statement on Twitter, said he talked about “the judicial reform,” among other topics, adding that “our relationship with the United States is one of the pillars of our foreign policy.”
“We will continuously work to strengthen the dialogue with this great ally,” Cohen added.
Biden, who has known Netanyahu for decades, took office hoping to avoid a replay of the public feuding with the Israeli leader seen when he was Barack Obama’s vice president.
But the State Department expressed strong condemnation after Israel’s parliament voted to annul a US-backed rule against certain settlements in the West Bank, and denounced one of Netanyahu’s ministers over remarks denying the existence of the Palestinian people.
A senior Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he had spoken to several US government officials after Biden said he hoped the Israeli government would abandon its judicial reform or find a compromise with the opposition.
He said he was confident that Biden’s comments did not reflect the US administration’s position.
After three months of tensions that split the nation triggered protests by tens of thousands and a general strike, Netanyahu on Monday announced a “pause” for dialogue on the proposed reforms.
The reforms would curtail the authority of the Supreme Court and give politicians greater powers over the selection of judges.
The government, a coalition between Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party and extreme-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies, argues they are needed to rebalance powers between lawmakers and the judiciary.
Blinken affirms Israel ties, warns on peace after Netanyahu spat
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Blinken affirms Israel ties, warns on peace after Netanyahu spat
Iran envoy: Saudi Arabia a pivotal partner, relations ‘fortified’
- ‘Our contacts continue at all levels,’ Ambassador Alireza Enayati tells Asharq Al-Awsat
- Alireza Enayati: Iran and the Kingdom are keen on the security and stability of the region
RIYADH: A senior Iranian official said that relations with Saudi Arabia are “fortified” and cannot be undermined, highlighting both nations’ shared commitment to regional security and stability.
Alireza Enayati, Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said in an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat that both countries are committed to preventing escalation and avoiding actions that could destabilize the region.
He added that contacts and coordination between the two countries are taking place at various levels, including visits, meetings and private discussions.
Enayati said: “We must recognize the sensitivity of the current situation amid repeated threats facing the region and the risk of sliding into unprecedented escalation.
“In Iran, we believe that regional stability serves the interests of all countries in the region, and we have repeatedly sensed this affirmation during our meetings and encounters with Saudi officials.”
A senior Saudi official had told Asharq Al-Awsat on Saturday that reports circulated by some media outlets about a change in the Kingdom’s position regarding escalation in the region were inaccurate.
The source said that Saudi Arabia supports efforts aimed at reaching a peaceful solution to all disputed issues between the US and Iran through dialogue and diplomatic means, stressing the Kingdom’s rejection of the use of its airspace or territory for any military actions against Iran.
Enayati pointed to the existence of “ongoing contacts and exchanges between the two countries at various levels, including visits and meetings — some of which are public, while others are held away from the media.”
The Iranian diplomat said that Tehran “considers Saudi Arabia a pivotal and influential state in the region,” adding that cooperation between the two countries on issues of mutual interest “contributes to strengthening the region’s security and stability.”
He said: “Iran and the Kingdom are keen on the security and stability of the region, and emphasize the need to avoid escalation and steer clear of anything that could disturb regional calm.”
Consultations are taking place between the two sides “stemming from a strategic conviction that has crystallized for both parties and serves their interests as well as those of the region as a whole,” Enayati added.
“The Kingdom views Iran as a reliable partner, while Iran regards Saudi Arabia as an important and effective state in the region, and their cooperation on issues of mutual interest helps consolidate regional security and stability.”
The ambassador said: “These relations are fortified and cannot be undermined, thanks to the leadership of both countries and their understanding of the inevitability of these relations, ensuring their continuity and growth, and the reflection of their positive effects on all.”
Enayati recalled the Saudi position in support of Tehran during its recent war with Israel, saying: “Iran welcomed the Saudi position supporting it during the war imposed on it, as Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the Israeli aggression against Iran, and we received a phone call that morning from the Saudi foreign minister. This stance was not surprising from our Saudi brothers, who stood by us during that phase.”
He added: “Second, any harm to Iran affects the security of the entire region, and this was clearly reflected in constructive positions, including that of the Kingdom. Third, the attack on Iran comes within a series of Israeli attacks that have targeted countries across the region, and no state is immune from these aggressions.”
Regarding talk of a negotiating framework taking shape between Iran and the US, Enayati said that Iran “entered the negotiations in 2015 and 2025 with full seriousness, but the US withdrew from them and dealt with them in a contradictory manner.”
He added: “If the US is serious about an equal dialogue without preconditions, Iran welcomes that, and Iranian officials have repeatedly affirmed this position.
“We recently heard statements indicating that the two sides are working to establish a framework for negotiations; however, negotiations cannot begin with predetermined outcomes. Rather, their results must emerge from the negotiating process itself, not be imposed on it in advance.”
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, during a phone call he received from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian last week, highlighted the Kingdom’s support for any efforts aimed at resolving disputes through dialogue in a manner that enhances regional security and stability.
During the call, the Saudi crown prince stressed Riyadh’s position on respecting Iran’s sovereignty and the Kingdom’s refusal to allow the use of its airspace or territory for any military actions against Iran, or for attacks by any party, regardless of their direction.
Pezeshkian expressed his gratitude to Saudi Arabia for its respect of Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and his appreciation for the crown prince’s efforts and initiatives to achieve regional security and stability.
