Arab News

LONDON: US President Joe Biden’s first call with leader in region will be with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House said on Tuesday.

Some have accused Biden of snubbing Netanyahu for not calling him nearly a month into his presidential term.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Biden’s call to Netanyahu would be soon.

“Israel is of course an ally. Israel is a country where we have an important strategic security relationship, and our team is fully engaged, not at the head of state level quite yet but very soon,” she said.

Meanwhile, Biden will not be hosting foreign counterparts at the White House for at least a couple months, Psaki said, underlining the administration’s strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols.

“It will be a couple of months before the president has an in-person or invites a foreign leader to meet in person here at the White House,” Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters.

Imminent foreign trips for Biden are also not expected, the White House has said.

(With Reuters and AFP)