US Ambassador to UN Thomas-Greenfield to visit

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield accepted an invitation by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to visit Israel.

“We’re looking forward to your visit,” Bennett told her when the two met Monday at the UN General Assembly, after the prime minister addressed the high-level opening session of the General Assembly.

Bennett asked her to continue to counter the anti-Israel bias in international institutions.

Former US president Donald

Trump’s administration had withdrawn from some of those institutions, including the UN Human Rights Council. US President Joe Biden’s administration has rejoined the UNHRC and other international bodies.

“I think that the re-engagement of the United States with international institutions is a good opportunity to bring balance to these institutions vis-àvis Israel,” Bennett told the US envoy.

“Many times we feel these institutions are slanted and sometimes unfair and I think the new spirit between America and Israel can be brought to bear and we can do great things together,” he said.

Bennett asked Thomas-Greenfield to continue to her efforts to help secure the release of the bodies of two IDF soldiers, Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, believed to have been killed during Operation Protective Edge in 2014 and to help ensure the release of two Israeli citizens believe to be held captive by Hamas, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed.

Greenfield-Thomas has raised this issue in various forums, since meeting Hadar’s mother, Leah, the Prime Minister’s Office said.

While at the UN, Bennett also met with US Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. National Security Council head Eyal Hulata, cabinet secretary Shalom Shlomo, the Prime Minister’s Military Secretary Maj.Gen. Avi Gil and diplomatic adviser Shimrit Meir participated in the meeting.

According to Guterres’s office, the two men “exchanged views on regional developments, including the Middle East Peace Process.”