Israeli President Reuven Rivlin congratulated US President-elect Joe Biden for his victory and invited him to Jerusalem.
“As a longstanding friend of Israel, you are now going to be the leader of the free world and of Israel’s closest and most important ally,” Rivlin said in a video post, speaking in English.
“Our bond is more than friendship,” Rivlin continued. “It is based on values, on our shared commitment to freedom and democracy.”
“The strategic alliance between our two countries and peoples is stronger than any political leadership and is not based solely on friendship,” he tweeted on Sunday.
“On behalf of Israelis, I wish you and your future administration great success, and I extend my invitation to you to visit Jerusalem as our guest.”
Rivlin also expressed gratitude for President Donald Trump, on “four years of partnership in strengthening Israel’s security.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also congratulated Biden on Sunday.
“Congratulations Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Joe, we’ve had a long and warm personal relationship for nearly 40 years, and I know you as a great friend of Israel. I look forward to working with both of you to further strengthen the special alliance between the US and Israel,” Netanyahu wrote on his official Twitter account.
He thanked Trump in a subsequent tweet, in which he wrote: “Thank you Donald Trump for the friendship you have shown the state of Israel and me personally, for recognizing Jerusalem and the Golan, for standing up to Iran, for the historic peace accords and for bringing the American-Israeli alliance to unprecedented heights.”
Opposition leader Yair Lapid was the first Israeli political figure to congratulate Biden.
He criticized Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz for not congratulating Biden on his victory in a timely manner.
If the French President, the German Chancellor and British Prime Minister can do so, you can too, he tweeted.
Former Israeli ambassador to the United States Michael Oren also criticized Netanyahu, stressing that Americans pay great attention to what is said about developments in their country, and Netanyahu’s failure to acknowledge Biden’s victory may negatively affect Israel’s relationship with the next administration.
Gantz was the first high-ranking government official to congratulate Biden on winning the US presidency early Sunday morning.
“As the election results become final, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Joe Biden, a long-time supporter and friend of Israel, and to his running mate, Kamala Harris, who has made history as the first woman elected VP,” Gantz tweeted in English.
“I look forward to continuing to deepen the steadfast bond and strong defense ties between our peoples, as allies in the effort to strengthen democracy, stability and peace worldwide,” Gantz added.
Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi congratulated Biden about two hours after Gantz.
“I strongly believe that under his leadership the strategic indispensable alliance between our two countries will continue to flourish and prosper,” he wrote.
