April 5, 2021 Share
The terms of the Heads of Israel’s security service Shin Bet and the intelligence agency Mossad are both due to expire in the month of May and June respectively, and as a result, political tension in Israel, as well as internal tensions over prospective candidates’ and personal relations to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are complicating matters making the transition far more complicated than it should be. With the election results producing an uncertain majority, although Benjamin Netanyahu was elected as Israel’s longest Premier, there is no united coalition to back him up and clearly, the division in Israel’s political structure is apparent.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan led an interagency U.S. delegation's participation in a virtual meeting of the U.S.-Israel Strategic Consultative.
Recent developments in the Middle East signify major, and positive, changes in regional dynamics and balances. Four Arab countries the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco have established, or are in the process of establishing, diplomatic relations with Israel; other Arab and Muslim countries are reportedly considering following suit. In addition, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt lifted the embargo they imposed on Qatar in June 2017 and restored normal relations with it. These processes are driven by regional imperatives, but also heavily influenced by, and reinforce, political developments in both the United States and Israel.
The Normalization Wave
US National Security Adviser Arrives in Israel The Media Line Staff 12/13/2020
US National Security Adviser Robert C. O’Brien arrived in Israel to meet senior officials in the country, the US embassy in Jerusalem announced. O’Brien met on Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, and with his Israeli counterpart, National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat. O’Brien presented Ben-Shabbat with the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, the highest honorary award given to non-US citizens. The topics discussed at the meetings included regional issues, shared security concerns and the Abraham Accords, the embassy said in a statement. Accompanying O’Brien on his trip to Israel are Chris Liddell, assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for policy coordination; Robert Greenway, deputy assistant to the president and senior director for Middle Eastern and African Affairs; and Maj.-Gen. Miguel Correa, special assistant to the preside