Blinken and Herzog also spoke on shared security concerns, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Iran’s drone presence in the region.
https://www.jpost.com-By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) meets Israeli president Isaac Herzog in Washington, DC, October 25, 2022(photo credit: STEFANI REYNOLDS/POOL VIA REUTERS)
The United States is concerned “over current heightened tensions, violence, and loss of both Israeli and Palestinian lives in the West Bank,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Israeli President Isaac Herzog, currently on a state visit to Washington DC.
In a meeting between the two, Blinken emphasized the need for “all parties to urgently de-escalate the situation,” a statement read.
Herzog, Blinken discuss Iranian drones in Ukraine
The two also spoke on shared security concerns, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Iran’s drone presence in the region. During his stay in the US, Herzog is expected to present US President Joe Biden with evidence that Iranian drones are being used against Ukrainian civilians as part of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The two discussed the maritime border deal struck between Israel and Lebanon, with Blinken congratulating Herzog on the US-mediated agreement. Mediator Amos Hochstein said on Sunday that a ceremony for the border deal signing will be held on Thursday, with the deal expected to easily pass in a cabinet vote earlier that day.
Finally, Blinken and Herzog also reaffirmed the strength of US-Israel ties, the statement said, adding that the two discussed “opportunities to expand and deepen Israel’s relations with Arab states,” noting that the Biden administration seeks to continue the “unprecedented work” of the Negev Summit held earlier this year.
Herzog meets Pelosi
Also on Tuesday, Herzog meets with the speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, who said it is a “personal and professional honor to host President Herzog.”
“In the coming months, we will celebrate Israel’s 75th anniversary,” Pelosi told the president. “From then to this day, our strong bond is based on common values, security interests, regional stability and the prosperity of both countries.”