President Joe Biden met with Mossad Chief Yossi Cohen on April 30 at the White House. An unnamed spokesperson for the US National Security Council said Cohen’s meeting at the White House was with national security adviser Jake Sullivan and CIA director Bill Burns. Reportedly, Biden “dropped by to express condolences for the tragedy at Mount Meron." Thus, Cohen is now the first top Israeli official to have met with Biden since the US president took office. The meeting lasted for an hour, with Cohen the only person to attend from the Israeli side.
US sources downplayed the significance of the meeting, which they said was not planned ahead, while Israeli sources stressed that the sit-down meeting lasted for a full hour.
A report on Israeli news site Walla said Cohen told Biden Israel believes it would be a mistake for the United States to return to the nuclear deal with Iran without introducing changes to it. The report also claimed Biden said he appreciated hearing the Israeli stance on the issue, but he emphasized the road was still long until an agreement is reached with Iran.
Cohen, Israel’s national adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat and other high-ranking Israeli security officials arrived in Washington last week to discuss with their US counterparts ongoing US talks with Iran. Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi was also set to arrive in Washington but canceled his visit over tensions on Israel’s southern border and rockets fired from the Gaza Strip.
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