President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Friday, according to the White House.
This was the first known call between the two leaders since Dec. 23, 2023.
Biden and Netanyahu spoke about a two-state solution, among other things, one day after Netanyahu expressed opposition to a Palestinian state.
“The president still believes in the promise and the possibility of a two-state solution,” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said Friday. “He recognizes that it’s going to take a lot of hard work. It’s going to take a lot of leadership, there in the region, particularly, on both sides of the issue. And the United States stands firmly committed to eventually seeing that outcome.”
“We’re not going to agree on everything,” Kirby said. He later added that Netanyahu’s comments will not change Biden’s “strong conviction” that “the best long-term solution for regional security, particularly the security of the Israeli people, is a free, independent Palestinian state that they can live in peace and security with — and this is an important caveat — with Israel’s security also guaranteed.”
Though Biden will continue to press for a two-state solution, “this isn’t about trying to twist somebody’s arm or force a change in their thinking,” Kirby said.
Kirby said Netanyahu’s comments did not trigger the two leaders’ Friday call.
“This was a call that we’ve been, actually, trying to land on the schedule for quite a bit of time,” he said.
-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow