US secretary of state set to meet Netanyahu at the end of the month

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Israel at the end of the month to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Eli Cohen.

As Blinken becomes the first senior Biden administration official to meet with representatives of Israel’s new government, Washington has reiterated concerns over some of Netanyahu’s coalition partners.

The secretary of state condemned Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir’s controversial visit on the Temple Mount last week.

On social media, Blinken said he discussed Ben Gvir’s visit with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and “expressed support for preserving the historic status quo at the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount.”

Blinken’s visit to Israel is, in part, to help prepare for Netanyahu’s upcoming visit to Washington, which could happen as soon as February.

On Friday, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced that he also will travel to Israel mid-January but did not provide specific dates.

Both Blinken and Sullivan are expected to discuss a range of issues with Israeli leaders, such as the Iranian threat, the Ukraine war and the Palestinian attempt to take Israel to the International Criminal Court.

Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer arrived in Washington, D.C. on Monday to meet with White House and U.S. State Department officials. This was the first visit to the U.S. by a member of Netanyahu’s new government.

Dermer is expected to return to Israel to participate in the meetings with Blinken.