Biden's Multiple Snubs to Israel During his Visit: The presidential visit to the US’s strongest ally in the Middle East will last less than 48 hours and include several blatant snubs aimed at distancing Israel while exhibiting the Biden administration’s belief that “Palestine” is the dominant political entity in the region. Biden’s visit will begin on Wednesday morning at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, where he will be greeted by Prime Minister Yair Lapid and President Isaac Herzog, with Alternate Prime Minister Naftali Bennett possibly speaking as well. But rather than an auspicious affair that is usually held for visiting dignitaries, the event will be rather subdued, as per Biden’s request. The White House has also informed the Prime Minister’s Office that due to concerns about COVID-19, Biden will not shake hands with Israeli ministers or MKs who greet him upon arrival at Ben-Gurion Airport on Wednesday. On Friday, Biden is going to visit Augusta Victoria hospital in the eastern section of Jerusalem. The hospital is run by the Palestinian Authority, and the visit is seen as tacit support of a Palestinian state with its capital in Jerusalem. This will mark the first time a sitting US president has visited a predominantly Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem. At the hospital, Biden is expected to meet with Palestinian civil society activists, according to Israeli officials. Biden is also expected to announce during the visit $100 million in U.S. assistance to the Palestinian hospitals’ network in East Jerusalem. Im Tirtzu CEO Matan Peleg responded, saying, ” We call for the Government of Joe Biden to stop this insult to sovereignty and independence. America does not have many friends across the world, and with Israel has always had a true and loyal partnership.” Biden will then travel to Bethlehem for a meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, after which he will announce a number of steps that both the US and Israel plan to take to strengthen the Palestinian Authority. https://www.israel365news.com/271308/bidens-multiple-snubs-to-israel-during-his-visit/ Israelis Warn Biden on Upcoming Visit: Judea-Samaria "Not for Sale": In anticipation of US President Joe Biden’s upcoming visit to Israel on Wednesday, the pro-settlement NGO Regavim launched a campaign aimed at the commander in chief, warning him against negotiating the land of Israel. The official flyer reads: Don’t sell us out! Regavim released a statement imploring both Biden and interim Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid to avoid negotiating Judea and Samaria for personal gain writing: President Biden: Don’t exploit Israel’s unstable political landscape to extract historic concessions from an interim government that may be tempted to pay an enormously high price to shore up their election prospects. Prime Minister Lapid: Don’t sell out our national interests for photo-ops with visiting dignitaries who have agendas of their own. The itinerary of President Biden’s visit, scheduled for 13-14 July, includes several things that are tremendously problematic for Israel’s sovereignty and security: A first-of-its-kind visit by a US President to East Jerusalem without any Israeli presence or accompaniment, signaling that our capital is divided between two independent sovereigns, constituting a substantive violation of US law, Israeli law, and diplomatic protocol; Solidifying Israeli agreement to a Palestinian Authority presence at the Allenby Border Crossing, signaling joint sovereignty and authority over our border and the secession of our control and sovereignty over the Jordan Valley; Official recognition of the upgraded status of the Palestinian Affairs Office as a de facto embassy to Palestine in West Jerusalem, with an eye towards opening a full embassy in the East Jerusalem consular building, shut down by the Trump Administration. Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley are Israel’s most vital existential interests. They’re not for sale. The White House has also informed the Prime Minister’s Office that due to concerns about COVID-19, Biden will not shake hands with Israeli ministers or MKs who greet him upon arrival at Ben-Gurion Airport How thoughtful and gracious! Biden is afraid he'll infect them. :whistle: Or Biden is afraid that they will infect him!
Israel’s security and sovereignty aren’t bargaining chips!
Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley are Israel’s most vital existential interests.
They’re not for sale.
:yes:
