Biden, other U.S. government official thank Bennett for his ‘friendship,’ congratulate Lapid.
By World Israel News Staff
U.S. President Joe Biden congratulated Israel’s newest Prime Minister Yair Lapid, and thanked outgoing premier Naftali Bennett in a tweet on Friday.
“Congratulations to @YairLapid, Israel’s new Prime Minister, and thank you to Alternate Prime Minister @NaftaliBennett for your friendship over the past year. I look forward to seeing you both in July to celebrate the unbreakable U.S- Israel partnership,” he wrote.
The tweet was posted at midnight on Friday, when Lapid officially took the reins from Bennett.
“Thank you, Mr. President,” Lapid replied to Biden. “The ties between Israel and the United States are unbreakable. They are based on deep foundations of shared values and a common vision for the future.
“I look forward to welcoming you to Israel and strengthening the unique alliance between us.”
“Thank you, Joe. We’re looking forward to seeing you soon, here in our eternal capital Jerusalem. You’re a true friend of the State of Israel,” Bennett replied to Biden’s tweet.
“We look forward to working closely with Prime Minister Lapid to continue strengthening the relationship between the United States and Israel, an enduring relationship based on shared values that enjoys deep bipartisan support across America,” Reps. Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Joe Wilson (R-SC) said in a joint statement.
In a press statement released Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that “on behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I offer our warmest congratulations to Yair Lapid on assuming the role of Prime Minister of Israel.”
Notably, the statement mistakenly thanked Bennett for his “continued efforts as Alternate Prime Minister and Minister of Religious Affairs.”
Bennett served as Minister of Religious Affairs from 2013 to 2015, under a Netanyahu-led government.
Lapid will serve as interim prime minister until Israel’s fifth round of national elections in a four year span, which is scheduled to take place on November 1.