Biden Still Hasn’t Extended White House Invite to Netanyahu Five Months into New Term

President Joe Biden has failed to extend an invitation to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit the White House for “a number of reasons,” a senior Israeli official said over the weekend, adding Washington would be in a better position to provide an explanation for the ongoing snub.

According to The Times of Israel, which cited both U.S. and senior Emirati officials, plans by the U.S. and the UAE to host Netanyahu have been shelved amid discontent with the Netanyahu government towards the Palestinians.

The two countries “are waiting to see what unfolds on the ground during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins later this month. The Ramadan period has historically added another layer of tension between Israelis and Palestinians,” the report said.

In January, Netanyahu’s office informed reporters that the Israeli premier would likely visit Washington at the end of February or the beginning of March. A visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken early last month was seen as an opportunity for Biden to issue an official invitation. But the visit ended with no such gesture.

Meanwhile, Jordan’s King Abdullah was welcomed that week at the White House with open arms for a meeting with Biden.

The same Israeli official cited by The Times of Israel also blamed the newly inked deal to restore ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran on the previous left-leaning Israeli government, during whose tenure, the official claimed, Iran and Saudi Arabia launched talks, as well as the Biden administration.

“There was a feeling of American and Israeli weakness, so Saudi Arabia turned to other channels,” he said.

When Netanyahu was reelected in November, a days-long delay before Biden called to congratulate him fueled speculation of a strained relationship between the two.