"Jerusalem Declaration" signed; Biden and Lapid agree to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons

US President Joe Biden and Israeli interim Prime Minister Yair Lapid signed the "Jerusalem Declaration" in front of media reporters at a joint meeting on Thursday, July 13.

However, the two leaders' press conference, held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Jerusalem, showed that they differed on the strategy for confronting Iran.

The four-page "Jerusalem Declaration" emphasizes the commitment of the leaders of the two countries to preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and states that Iran will "never" obtain nuclear weapons.

The statement, which other American and Israeli officials have called "historic," emphasizes the "special relationship" between the two countries and Washington's expanded commitment to ensuring Israel's security.

After signing the statement, Yair Lapid said: "Iran's hostility threatens Israel, the only Jewish state."

He added: "Diplomacy and words alone will not stop Iran, and the Iranians' continued deception will come at a heavy price."

According to Mr. Lapid, the life of the Israeli people in this country is not an ordinary one and every day is accompanied by prayer and struggle for survival. He recalled that his father was saved from the Warsaw Ghetto and that while the enemies of the Jewish people at that time sought to destroy the Jews, now the Jewish state of Israel is in danger of preserving its survival from Iran, Hezbollah and other allies of this axis.

Joe Biden, however, said that "diplomacy is still the best solution" and that the United States would continue to cooperate with Israel against "threats from Iran."

The US President noted that his country has a deep commitment to maintaining Israel's security and will also ensure that Israel can defend itself.

Mr. Biden also said that his administration is working to expand the Abrahamic peace accords and further integrate Israel into the region. These agreements were initiated by former US President Donald Trump and former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The issue of Iran was also at the top of Joe Biden and Yair Lapid's working-level talks on Thursday.

At the end of that meeting, the Israeli Prime Minister told reporters that we are trying to form a coalition of moderate forces in the region against Iran.

Yair Lapid added: "The issue of relations with Saudi Arabia and its regional status was also raised in the negotiations, and Israel attaches great importance to it."

Joe Biden and Yair Lapid also participated in a joint video conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE Ruler Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Thursday after their working meeting.

The one-hour meeting was called the "I2U2 Summit" (an acronym for India, Israel, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates).

Mr. Lapid said that the idea of ​​the Quartet was raised a few months ago during his trip to Washington, and work to launch this alliance immediately began on a practical path.

He stated that the focus of this forum is on trade and advancing cooperation in new technologies, which is already underway, so that the lives of the people of these four "innovative countries in science and technology" can flourish even more.

Joe Biden said in the virtual forum that the needs of the 21st century, after the COVID-19 pandemic and in light of developments such as Russia's war in Ukraine, require allied countries to pursue new partnerships for their people. Mr. Biden emphasized the importance of people's food security and India's prominent role in this.

Narendra Modi also said that this is a meeting of "strategic allies" and that the forum members have drawn up a roadmap in seven areas: water, energy, transportation, space, health, and food security.

After the speeches of the leaders of the four countries were broadcast, which was accompanied by media coverage, they continued their virtual negotiations in private.

Joe Biden will meet separately in Jerusalem on July 13 with President Isaac Herzog and opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who is seeking a return to power.

He will conclude his second day in Israel by attending the opening ceremony of the Maccabiah, the "World Jewish Olympic Games," at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem.

Joe Biden, who is traveling to the Middle East for the first time in his 18-month presidency, is scheduled to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Friday, July 14, and then visit the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and a Palestinian hospital in East Jerusalem.

Senior Palestinian leaders and the Palestinian public have expressed deep dissatisfaction that issues related to their fate and status have been sidelined during Mr. Biden's visit to the region.

In a phone call with Saudi King Salman on Wednesday, Abbas urged Saudi Arabia not to join other Arab countries that have normalized relations with Israel. Abbas had previously said that the UAE and Bahrain “stabbed the Palestinians in the back.”

Joe Biden will begin his trip to Saudi Arabia on the evening of July 14 with the first public direct flight from Tel Aviv to Jeddah. Mr. Biden himself called the flight on this air route very important and the beginning of other developments.

The day before Mr. Biden arrived in Saudi Arabia, the Financial Times reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had told the newspaper that “Jews have the right to have a country of their own.”

However, according to the Financial Times, despite the closer ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel, Saudi Arabia is still not willing to sign a formal treaty with Israel.

Source: Radio Farda