Erica Carlin| Wow… Just, wow. Biden has shown nothing but disregard for the fears and concerns of US allies upset that he plans to resurrect Obama’s Iran nuclear deal and now he has apparently dodged an urgent call from Isreal.
According to Israel’s Channel 13, Lapid sought to speak with Biden in an attempt to prevent a return to the 2015 JCPOA nuclear pact but U.S. officials denied the request, informing Lapid Biden “is on vacation.”
On Wednesday, Lapid delivered a rare condemnation of Biden, saying that the latest proposal between Tehran and Western powers crossed even his own “red lines.”
“In our eyes, it does not meet the standards set by President Biden himself: preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear state,” Lapid said.
“We have made it clear to everyone: if a deal is signed, it does not obligate Israel. We will act to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear state,” Lapid said.
A day later, however, Lapid said the pressure tactics against the American administration were working.
“The Americans accepted a large part of the things that we wanted them to include in the drafts,” Lapid said on Thursday. “It is a welcome change, and the dialogue with them is good and we will continue it.”
Amid major progress towards a return to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, the White House recently rejected an Israeli request for an emergency phone call between Prime Minister Yair Lapid and US President Joe Biden, Hebrew media reported on Wednesday.
Citing unnamed Israeli officials, Channel 13 news said that the president’s office claimed Biden was unavailable for a conversation with the premier because he was on vacation. However, the sources emphasized that the talk would be arranged eventually.
The network also reported that Defense Minister Benny Gantz will not meet with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin when he flies to Washington on Thursday, since Austin too had apparently left the city.
