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U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday, issued a statement after Benjamin Netanyahu's new government was sworn in.
"I look forward to working with Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has been my friend for decades, to jointly address the many challenges and opportunities facing Israel and the Middle East region, including threats from Iran," Biden said in his statement.
"The United States is working to promote a region that’s increasingly integrated, prosperous, and secure, with benefits for all of its people. From the start of my Administration, we have worked with partners to promote this more hopeful vision of a region at peace, including between Israelis and Palestinians. We aim to continue this important work with Israel’s new government under Prime Minister Netanyahu’s leadership," he said.
And as we have throughout my Administration, the United States will continue to support the two-state solution and to oppose policies that endanger its viability or contradict our mutual interests and values," the president concluded.
The statement comes amid tensions between the administration and members of the newly seated government, after Netanyahu's coalition deals with his partners include a commitment to increase settlements on the West Bank and legitimize illegal outposts.
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Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich celebrate November election win
(Photo: Yair Sagi)
Washington is especially concerned with the role of far-right Itamar Ben-Gvir as the new national security minister (a post previously called Public Security Minister,) with extensive authority over the police, and the appointment of Religious Zionist Party head Bezalel Smotrich to a ministerial post in the Defense Ministry with authority over the West Bank civil administration and coordination with the Palestinian Authority.
Netanyahu has repeated attempted to calm the concerns expressed by the U.S. claiming he will be the one to decide policy for his government and that no steps will be taken without coordination with him.