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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Graeme Massie

Psaki still won’t give a date for when Biden will call Netanyahu after president accused of ignoring Israel

Photograph: DEBBIE HILL/AFP via Getty Images

Joe Biden’s top spokesperson refused to give a date when the president would call Benjamin Netanyahu after he was accused of ignoring Israel.

Mr Biden has still not spoken to the Israeli prime minister despite making a string of calls to world leaders and allies following his inauguration last month.

Mr Netanyahu’s frustrated former ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, even took to Twitter to demand a call and posted the prime minister’s phone number.

““Might it now be time to call the leader of Israel, the closest ally of the US?” he tweeted.

The phone number appeared to be out of service when tried by The Independent.

Ms Psaki was asked about when the president would call his Israeli counterpart during her press briefing on Thursday.

But she refused to commit to a date and would only say that a call would happen “soon.”

“The president looks forward speaking with prime minister Netanyahu,” she said.

“He is obviously somebody that he he has a longstanding relationship with and obviously there is an important relationship that the United States has with Israel on the security front and as a key partner in the region, but he will be talking with him soon.

"I don’t have a specific date or time for you on that call yet.”

Mr Netanyahu was a close ally of Donald Trump and is an old family friend of Jared Kushner and his father, Charles Kushner.

The prime minister also had a strained relationship with former president Barack Obama while Mr Biden was his vice president.

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