Biden says he will discuss 'hard issues' with Israel's Netanyahu

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - President Joe Biden said Wednesday he will use a closed-door meeting with Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu to address "hard issues," including the importance of the US ally's democratic credentials.

“Today, we're going to discuss some of the hard issues that is upholding democratic values that lie at the heart of our partnership, including the checks and balances in our systems, and preserving the path to a negotiated two-state solution, and ensuring that Iran never, never acquires a nuclear weapon," Biden said in New York where they are meeting.

Biden is sitting down with Netanyahu for the first time since the Israeli leader won re-election last year. Tensions between the allies have risen amid Biden's public opposition to Netanyahu's efforts to overhaul Israel's judiciary in what critics say would be a death knell to the country's system of checks and balances.

The plan has been met with sweeping protests and strikes in Israel, but Netanyahu and his far-right government have marched on undeterred.

Netanyahu's overhaul has led to repeated delays in arranging a sit-down with Biden, and the decision to hold it on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York rather than the White House reflects the stewing tensions

Netanyahu sought to defend his democratic credentials by saying: "One thing is certain, and one thing will never change. And that is Israel's commitment to democracy."

"We will continue to uphold the values that both our proud democracies cherish," he said.

He maintained that under Biden's leadership, he believes a peace deal with Saudi Arabia is possible. "Such a peace would go a long way for us to advance the end of the Arab-Israeli conflict, achieve reconciliation between the Islamic world and the Jewish state and advance a genuine peace between Israel and the Palestinians,” he said.

Biden maintained that the US commitment to Israel remains "ironclad" despite what he called "differences" between the allies.

"I think without Israel, there's not a Jew in the world who is secure. Israel is essential," he said.