Biden Tells Bennett: Other Options Open If Iran Nuke Talks Fail

President Joe Biden said that US-Israel relationship is as strong as it can be after his private meeting with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett at the White House on Friday, Jonathan Lis reported for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

Photo Insert: US President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

Bennett said “we’ll discuss ways to promote peace and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians. We will never outsource our security. It's our responsibility to take care of our fate."

Earlier, Ben Samuels reported for Haaretz that senior American officials said that the US is prepared to take alternative steps if ongoing talks surrounding Iran's nuclear program fail.

"We, of course, committed to a diplomatic path. We think that is the best way to put a ceiling on the program and roll back the gains that Iran has made over recent years on the nuclear side. But obviously, if that doesn't work, there are other avenues to pursue," one senior US official said.

Speaking alongside Biden, Bennett said "Israel has always stood with US unequivocally," and offered his condolences over the deadly attack at Kabul's airport that claimed the lives of at least 92 people, including 13 US soldiers.

The White House delayed the meeting with Bennett due to the Afghanistan crisis. Bennett added that strategies to halt Iran's aggression and prevent it from becoming a nuclear threshold state have been formulated.

He thanked Biden for his support for Israeli bragged that Israel is not asking – nor will it ever ask – that American soldiers defend it.

"It's not enough to do the right thing in the Middle East. “If we want to improve [the Middle East], we should be strong," Bennett said.

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