Administration Official: Israel Will Be Well Represented At Nuclear Summit, Despite PM’s Absence

Israel will be well represented at next week’s nuclear security summit, despite the absence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a senior Obama administration official told reporters Friday.

“They are sending their deputy prime minister [Dan Meridor] to head their delegation,” said Ben Rhodes, the Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications, during a conference call. “He is the person within the Israeli government with the responsibility for the issues that will be discussed at the summit.”

Added Rhodes, “Israel will be represented by a very effective delegation.”

The Israeli prime minister announced that he would not attend the summit yesterday amid concerns that delegates from Turkey and Egypt would put pressure on Israel for allegedly maintaining a nuclear arsenal and not signing the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

Netanyahu’s absence does not bode well for the U.S., whose relationship with Israel has been strained since the Israeli government announced that they will build housing settlements in East Jerusalem, a contested territory within the country. The controversial announcement took place while Vice President Joe Biden was in Israel on a diplomatic trip. It was viewed in some circles as an embarrassment for the Obama administration.

Netanyahu reportedly received an icy reception from the White House when he visited Washington soon after.

Next week’s summit will host delegations from 47 nations. It comes shortly after the U.S. signed an arms reduction treaty with Russia and released guidelines to tone-down the strategic influence of nuclear weapons.