Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on June 27 that he had been invited to visit China, according to a statement from his office.
The Israeli prime minister made it clear to the members of Congress that the “security and intelligence cooperation between the U.S. and Israel is at an all-time high, and emphasized that the U.S. will always be a vital, irreplaceable ally of Israel.”
Beijing has not confirmed the visit, and a date has not yet been announced.
This will be Netanyahu’s fourth visit to China, and the first since March 2017.
The invitation comes as Netanyahu is still waiting for an invitation from President Joe Biden for an official visit to Washington.
In March, Biden said Netanyahu would not be invited for an official visit to Washington in the near term amid protests in Israel against the government’s plans to reform the judiciary.
CCP Rebuffs Closer Ties With US
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a “robust conversation” with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and other top diplomats when he traveled to Beijing last month, ending a two-day trip that some critics argued was a win for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).“We have an interest in setting up crisis communication mechanisms to reduce conflict risk,” Kurt Campbell, the National Security Council coordinator for Indo-Pacific affairs, said during a June 14 press call.
Xi, who heads the CCP’s military as chairman of the Central Military Commission, refused to give the nod.
This was not the CCP head’s only demonstration of power. The meeting at the Great Hall of the People took place at an unusual U-shaped table, with only Xi at the head. U.S. and Chinese officials were lined up on either side. Blinken sat to his right.
CCP Strengthens Presence in Middle East
The CCP has deepened its involvement in the Middle East in recent months.It brokered the resumption of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia in March.
In April, Qin spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki. During the talks, Qin said Beijing is ready to assist in peace talks based on a two-state solution.
During their meeting, Xi, sitting across from Abbas, said that Beijing is willing to assist the Palestinians in achieving internal reconciliation and promoting peace talks with Israel, according to Chinese state media.
Xi said Beijing and the Palestinian Authority are good partners that trust and support each other. He noted that the CCP supports the cause of the Palestinian people to restore their national rights, and he laid out a general three-point proposal to resolve the conflict with Israel, in which China hopes to play the role of a mediator.