US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby spoke to Israel's Channel 12 News today (Thursday) following US President Joe Biden's meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this week. When asked if the Israeli public needs to be concerned about how the Biden Administration views the current Israeli government, Kirby replied: "No. "The President comes at this from a long, long history of voting in favor of Israel and Israel's security, of deep and abiding respect for Israel as a country, for the very idea of Israel, certainly for the Israeli people, and more critically for Israel's democracy. That's why he keeps talking about it, that's why he keeps talking to Israeli leaders. Israel matters to President Biden." Biden invited New York Times columnist and longtime Israel critic Thomas Friedman for a meeting at the White House on Tuesday, following Biden's meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Friedman reported that Biden was "deeply concerned" for Israel's future due to the government's push to pass reforms to the Israeli judicial system. Kirby stated that Biden has a longstanding relationship with Friedman. According to him, Biden "thought it was important to sit down and share his views with Tom about where things are going and the conversations that he has had." Kirby added that Biden "has been consistent over the pace at which these reforms are moving and his desire to see consensus and compromise, checks and balances, the things which hold a democracy together." He confirmed that Friedman's column was accurate. "Tom wrote a very contextual and yes, accurate reflection in his column of his conversation with President Biden. But more critically, a contextual and accurate reflection of President Biden's views and his concerns." "His message has been consistent, both to Israeli leaders, but also publically. He wants to make sure that nothing is rushed through. Related articles: 'Obstacles from Hamas are preventing a deal' 'We welcome Israel’s decision to send delegation to Qatar' 'Hamas is the obstacle to a hostage release deal' Watch: John Kirby emotionally recites prayer for the hostages Kirby refused to answer whether Friedman's assertion that Biden had asked Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to stop the judicial reform legislation altogether is accurate, though he added that the column was an accurate reflection of "where the President's head is." Nevertheless, he reiterated that the US-Israel relationship remains rock-solid. "There's nothing that's gonna break the connection between the United States and Israel. We call it an unshakeable bond. We don't throw that word around in a cavalier way. We mean it." When asked whether the agreement between Biden and Netanyahu to meet in the US this year constituted an invitation for the Israeli Prime Minister to come to the White House, Kirby stated that they were "still working the details out."
