Jerusalem, 21 June, 2022 (TPS) — Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid spoke on Tuesday with the US secretary of State Antony Blinken and updated his American counterpart as to the current political situation in Israel ahead of President Joe Biden’s visit to the country planned for July.
If the plan to dissolve the Knesset and call for new elections, which is expected to be voted on next week, goes through then Yair Lapid will become Israel’s interim prime minister, a post he will hold until a new government is formed after the new elections. As such, if President Joe Biden comes as planned, Lapid will be the one to greet the President upon his arrival as the head of the government of Israel.
Yair Lapid said that President Biden’s upcoming visit to Israel is “an opportunity to emphasize the President’s deep personal connection to Israel, to America’s commitment to Israel’s security, and to strengthening Israel in the region.”
“The visit has significant implications for the region,” added Lapid, “and for the struggle against Iran, and great potential to significantly upgrade regional stability and security.”
Lapid also updated Blinken on his upcoming visit to Turkey and on Israel’s joint activity with the Turkish government against terrorism. Should he go ahead with that trip then Lapid would go as the prime minister of Israel and not just as its foreign minister.