US President Joe Biden told reporters at a briefing Thursday in Jerusalem the “vast majority of the American public” is “completely devoted” to Israel’s security.
Speaking with Prime Minister Yair Lapid following their one-on-one meeting at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Biden said the two had a “good beginning” of what he said will be “a long, God willing relationship.”
Both were expected to sign a joint “Jerusalem Declaration” that will enshrine the commitment of both sides never to allow Iran to attain a nuclear weapon, and detail White House support for an extension of the US defense package for Israel.
Among the elements in the document is a pledge by the US to work with Israel “and other partners to confront Iran’s aggression and destabilizing activities, whether advanced directly or through proxies and terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.”
The president said the two men discussed “both the problems and the opportunities both our countries face, particularly in the Middle East.
“We talked about how important it was, I talked about how important it was from my perspective, for Israel to be totally integrated into the region, and complete its integration.
“We are guaranteed — our administration, and I think the vast majority of the American public, not just my administration — is completely devoted to your security, without any if, ands or buts; without any doubts about it,” Biden said.
“We’re going to have a discussion after this meeting is over. And we talked about a lot of things that mainly related to developing personal friendships and the long-lasting commitment of both our countries to each other,” he added.
Lapid followed with remarks of his own, noting that the two also discussed Iran, in addition to their conversation about Saudi Arabia and Biden’s upcoming trip to Jedda, “which is extremely important to Israel – trying to build a more moderate coalition here in the Middle East, long needed.
“We discussed the Iranian threat, and what we believe is the right thing to do in order to make sure – which is something we share – that there will be no nuclear Iran,” Lapid related.
“This is not only a threat to Israel but to the world,” he said, adding that the two men also discussed “some other issues we’re going to keep to ourselves.”
Neither leader was willing to take reporters’ questions.
