Blinken, Netanyahu Discuss Further Integration of Israel Into Middle East

(Reuters) – Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israel Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu discussed, during a call, deepening Israel’s integration into the Middle East through normalizing relations with countries in the region, the State Department said on Thursday.

Blinken “also discussed broader regional challenges, such as the threat posed by Iran, and underscored the United States’ ironclad commitment to Israel’s security and our 75-year-old partnership”, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.

Netanyahu “expressed his appreciation for the military and intelligence cooperation between Israel and the United States, which is at an all-time high,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

“The two discussed the challenges and opportunities in the region,” it continued, adding that Netanyahu expressed his appreciation for the “frank talks that took place recently in Washington between teams of the two countries.”