Gantz meets with US diplomat, discusses Gaza and regional stability

The shakeup in Israel’s relations with the US came following the establishment of a new coalition government on Sunday.

Defense Minister Benny Gantz met with senior US diplomat Michael Ratney on Monday to discuss topics of mutual interest to both Israel and the United States, including Gaza, regional stability and the return of Israelis being held in the Gaza Strip.

Gantz wrote in a tweet regarding the meeting that he “told the US diplomat that Israel would continue to work together with the United States to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, and that dialogue on the issue would be a conversation between allies and in closed rooms.”

נפגשתי היום עם מ״מ שגריר ארה"ב מייקל רטני. דנו בנושאים שעל הפרק ביניהם קידום המהלכים מול רצועת עזה שיביאו ליציבות ויקדמו את החזרת השבויים והנעדרים. אמרתי למ״מ השגריר שישראל תפעל ביחד עם ארה"ב בכדי למנוע מאיראן נשק גרעיני, והדיאלוג בנושא יהיה דיאלוג בין בעלות ברית ובחדרים סגורים. pic.twitter.com/dJXO541KEq
— בני גנץ - Benny Gantz (@gantzbe) June 14, 2021

This statement marks a significant turn in US-Israel relations compared to former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach to the issue, which included more public and open criticism of the Biden administration’s desire to return to the 2015 JCPOA Iran nuclear deal.

The shakeup in Israel’s relations with the US came following the establishment of a new coalition government on Sunday between numerous parties from across the political spectrum.