US national security adviser Jake Sullivan spoke on the phone with his Israeli counterpart Meir Ben Shabbat on Saturday, Israeli officials tell Axios.
Why it matters: This is the first contact between Biden’s White House and the Israeli Prime Minister’s office. During the transition, the Biden team did not speak to foreign governments.
Driving the news: Israeli officials said the call was primarily intended as an introduction and to initiate dialogue.
- One of the topics discussed was Iran.
- The two national security advisers also covered the Abraham Accords – the biblical branding the government has given to the individual standardization agreements between Israel and Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
- In recent days, Sullivan has been calling his counterparts 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 lead to tensions between the Biden government and the Israeli government.
- Candidate Secretary of State Tony Blinken said at his hearing this week that “there is a long way” before the deal with Iran can resume.
- He stressed that the US will consult with Israel and the Gulf states before making decisions