Rivlin lands in the US ahead of Biden meeting
WASHINGTON – President Reuven Rivlin landed in New York on Sunday for a three-day visit that will include a one-onone meeting with US President Joe Biden. He is also expected to meet with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-California), UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Jewish community leaders.
“I am leaving Israel for the last time as a sitting President for a farewell visit to Israel’s closest friend – the United States,” Rivlin said in a statement before taking off from Ben Gurion Airport. “I will meet with President Joe Biden, a true friend of Israel for many years, to thank him for his genuine care for Israel’s security. At the UN, I will hold a series of meetings to discuss regional issues,” said Rivlin.
Later on Sunday, Rivlin was expected to hold a meeting with Jewish community leaders, including William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations; Eric Fingerhut, CEO of the Jewish Federations in North America;
Betty Ehrenberg, executive director at WJC; Abe Foxman, national director emeritus at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL); Rhoda Smolow, president of Hadassah and dozens of other community leaders. Gilad Erdan, Israel’s Ambassador to the US and the UN, is expected to participate at the meeting as well.
On Monday Rivlin will meet at the White House with Biden. “President Rivlin’s visit will highlight the enduring partnership between the United States and Israel and the deep ties between our governments and our people,” the White House said in a statement last week.
“It will be an opportunity to consult about the many challenges and opportunities facing the region,” the statement said. “As President Rivlin approaches the end of his term, this visit will honor the dedication he has shown to strengthening the friendship between the two countries over the course of many years.”
Biden and Rivlin are expected to discuss regional issues, including the indirect Vienna negotiations to restore the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran. After meeting with Barack Obama and Donald Trump, Biden would be the third US President with whom Rivlin meets. It would be his fourth visit to Washington in office, after previous visits in January 2015, November 2015, and November 2017.
From the White House, Rivlin will continue to Capitol Hill to meet with Pelosi and a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Gregory Meeks, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Majority Whip Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-South Carolina). Minority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) and Elise Stefanik (R-New York), chair of the House Republican Conference, are expected to attend as well.
On Tuesday, he will hold several meetings at the UN. First, he will meet with General-Secretary Antonio Guterres, and later with 20 UN ambassadors, including from Russia, the UK, the US, Bahrain and Morocco.
Rivlin is expected to return to Israel on June 30. His term ends on July 7. He will be succeeded by Isaac Herzog, who was elected earlier this month as Israel’s 11th president.