The United States and Israel officially sign the declaration of their strategic partnership during the visit of Joe Biden

The leaders of the United States and Israel, President Biden and Prime Minister Lapid, met in Jerusalem on July 14, 2022 and adopted the following joint statement on the United States-Israel strategic partnership:

The United States and Israel reaffirm the unbreakable ties between our two countries and the enduring commitment of the United States to the security of Israel.

Our countries further reaffirm that the U.S.-Israel strategic partnership is built on a foundation of shared values, common interests, and genuine friendship. Furthermore, the United States and Israel say that among the values ​​the two countries share is an unwavering commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and the call for “Tikkoun Olam,” the repair of the world.

Leaders express their appreciation to former Prime Minister Bennett, who led the most diverse government in Israel’s history, and under whose leadership this extraordinary partnership has grown ever stronger.

Consistent with the long-standing security relationship between the United States and Israel and the United States’ unwavering commitment to Israel’s security, and in particular to the maintenance of its qualitative military advantage, the United States reiterate their unwavering commitment to preserving and enhancing Israel’s ability to deter its enemies and defend itself against any threat or combination of threats.

The United States further reiterates that these commitments are bipartisan and sacrosanct, and that they are not only moral commitments, but also strategic commitments that are of vital importance to the national security of the United States. themselves.

The United States underscores that a pledge never to let Iran acquire a nuclear weapon is an integral part of that commitment, and that it is prepared to use all elements of its national power to secure that outcome.

The United States further affirms its commitment to working with other partners to confront Iran’s aggression and destabilizing activities, whether carried out directly or through terrorist proxies and organizations such as Hezbollah, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

The United States and Israel note that nothing better reflects the unwavering and bipartisan support of the United States for Israel’s security than the unprecedented memoranda of understanding on security assistance signed by successive U.S. administrations in decades, and that these arrangements demonstrate in word and deed that the United States views Israel’s security as essential to its interests and as an anchor of regional stability.

The United States strongly supports full implementation of the terms of the current historic $38 billion Memorandum of Understanding, which honors the United States’ enduring commitment to Israel’s security, as well as our belief that A subsequent MoU should address emerging threats and new realities.

Additionally, the United States is committed to requesting additional missile defense assistance, beyond MoU levels, in exceptional circumstances such as hostilities with Hamas for eleven days in May 2021. Israel appreciates the United States’ commitment to the MoU and its willingness to provide an additional $1 billion over MoU levels in additional post-conflict missile defense funding. 2021.

Additionally, the countries express their enthusiasm for advancing the U.S.-Israeli defense partnership through cooperation in advanced defense technologies such as high-energy laser weapon systems to defend Israel’s skies and, in the future, that of other security partners of the United States and Israel.

Israel thanks the United States for its continued and broad support for deepening and expanding the historic Abraham Accords.

The countries say Israel’s peace and normalization agreements with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco are a key complement to Israel’s strategic peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, all of which are important for the country. future of the Middle East region and for the promotion of regional security, prosperity and peace.

The countries note that the historic Negev Summit, initiated and hosted by Prime Minister Lapid, was a landmark event in the joint efforts of the United States and Israel to build a new regional framework that is changing the face of the Middle East. .

The United States and Israel welcome in this regard the meeting held in Manama, Bahrain, on June 27, forming the Negev Forum on Regional Cooperation.

The United States welcomes these developments and is committed to continuing to play an active role, including during President Biden’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, in building a robust regional architecture; to deepen ties between Israel and all its regional partners; advancing Israel’s regional integration over time; and to widen the circle of peace to include ever more Arab and Muslim states.

The United States and Israel also welcome the opportunity to participate in a quadrilateral (hybrid) meeting, with the leaders of India and the United Arab Emirates, under the I2U2 initiative, bringing together these four countries to advancing economic and strategic infrastructure cooperation, and demonstrating the importance of this new partnership, first launched by their Foreign Ministers in October 2021.

The United States and Israel reiterate their concerns about the ongoing attacks on Ukraine, their commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and affirm the importance of continued humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian people.

The United States and Israel affirm that they will continue to work together to combat all efforts to boycott or delegitimize Israel, deny its right to self-defense, or unfairly name it in any forum, including United Nations or the International Criminal Court. While fully respecting the right to freedom of expression, they firmly reject the BDS campaign.

Both countries will use the tools at their disposal to combat all scourges and all sources of anti-Semitism and to react whenever legitimate criticism escalates into intolerance and hatred or attempts to undermine Israel’s just and legitimate place. within the family of nations.

In this context, they express their deep concern at the resurgence of anti-Semitism in the world and reaffirm their commitment to counter this ancestral hatred in all its forms. The United States is proud to stand with the Jewish and democratic State of Israel and its people, whose courage, resilience and unparalleled spirit of innovation inspire so many. of people in the world.

The United States and Israel are committed to continuing to discuss challenges and opportunities in Israeli-Palestinian relations. The countries condemn the deplorable series of terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens in recent months and affirm the need to confront radical forces, such as Hamas, which seek to inflame tensions and incite violence and terrorism .

President Biden reaffirms his consistent and longstanding support for the two-state solution and for moving towards a reality in which Israelis and Palestinians can enjoy the same security, freedom and prosperity.

The United States stands ready to work with Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and regional actors to achieve this goal. The leaders also affirm their joint commitment to initiatives aimed at strengthening the Palestinian economy and improving the quality of life of Palestinians.

The United States and Israel enjoy extensive bilateral cooperation and dialogue between our two countries in many vital areas, from groundbreaking collaboration in science and technology, from unique intelligence sharing and joint military exercises, to shared efforts to address pressing global challenges such as climate change, food security and healthcare.

To complement the extensive science and technology cooperation that exists between the two countries, and to take that cooperation to a new level, the leaders launched a new high-level strategic dialogue between the United States and Israel on technology to form a technology partnership between the United States and Israel in critical and emerging technologies, as well as in areas of global interest: pandemic preparedness, climate change, artificial intelligence and trust technologies. This new technological partnership will aim to boost the mutual innovation ecosystems of the two countries and address geostrategic challenges.

In this same spirit, the United States and Israel affirm their willingness to continue their joint and accelerated efforts to allow Israeli passport holders to be included in the United States visa waiver program as soon as possible, as well as their support for increased collaboration on operational cyber exchange and the fight against cybercrime.

The leaders declare that all of these initiatives, and countless other joint efforts undertaken among their peoples at all levels of government and civil society, demonstrate that the strategic partnership between the United States and Israel is indispensable and makes an extraordinary contribution not only to the good of American and Israeli citizens, but also to the good of the Middle East and the world.

Building on this remarkable record, and aware of the incredible promise that the unparalleled relationship between the United States and Israel holds for the future, the United States and Israel look forward to entering the 75th year of this extraordinary partnership.

Signed in Jerusalem on July 14, 2022, which corresponds to the 15th day of the month of Tammuz in the year 5782 according to the Hebrew calendar.

Joseph R. Biden Jr., President of the United States of America

Yair Lapid, Prime Minister of the State of Israel