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House Speaker Offers to Host Netanyahu if Biden Doesn't Send an Invite

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in a Knesset session with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (EPA)
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in a Knesset session with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (EPA)
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House Speaker Offers to Host Netanyahu if Biden Doesn't Send an Invite

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in a Knesset session with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (EPA)
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in a Knesset session with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (EPA)

The US House Speaker, Kevin McCarthy, voiced in Tel Aviv dissatisfaction with US President Joe Biden for failing to invite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House.

The Speaker said if Biden does not invite Netanyahu to Washington soon, he'll invite "the prime minister to come to meet with the House," reported Israel Hayom.

McCarthy, who represents the Republican Party, is considered one of the most influential figures in the US politics. He indicated that the exact visit date has yet to be determined.

"If that [a visit to the White House] doesn't happen, I'll invite the prime minister to meet with the House. He's a dear friend, as a prime minister of a country that we have our closest ties with," McCarthy said.

"President Biden hasn't talked to me about the debt ceiling for the last 80 some days, so I think he, the prime minister, might be in good company if he treats me the same way," he told the Israeli outlet.

McCarthy arrived in Israel Sunday at the invitation of the Israeli Speaker, Amir Ohana, who indicated upon his reception at the airport that the US guest chose the Knesset as the first parliament to visit since entering office.

He chaired a delegation of 16 additional bipartisan representatives, and Netanyahu hosted them for lunch at the David Hotel.

Later, the presidential office issued a statement announcing that the President, Isaac Herzog, discussed with the House Speaker the strong partnership between Israel and the United States.

The statement hailed the US as Israel's "very close ally."

McCarthy told Herzog that the bipartisan representation on the trip is meant to underscore "that there are no greater and deeper relations between countries than between ours."

In the evening, McCarthy addressed the Knesset, saying that the Abraham Accords were milestones and the administration "should get further behind the Abraham Accords and grow them even bigger."

Ohana hosted a dinner in honor of McCarthy on Sunday night. After the main course, songs were played.

During the song "Hotel California," Knesset Speaker took the stage with his electric guitar and played the Eagles' classic.

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Report: China Could Launch Military Drills Near Taiwan over President’s Pacific Visit

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te waves to the crowd on national day to mark the 113th birthday of the Republic of China, Taiwan's formal name, in Taipei, Taiwan October 10, 2024. (Reuters)
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te waves to the crowd on national day to mark the 113th birthday of the Republic of China, Taiwan's formal name, in Taipei, Taiwan October 10, 2024. (Reuters)
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Report: China Could Launch Military Drills Near Taiwan over President’s Pacific Visit

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te waves to the crowd on national day to mark the 113th birthday of the Republic of China, Taiwan's formal name, in Taipei, Taiwan October 10, 2024. (Reuters)
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te waves to the crowd on national day to mark the 113th birthday of the Republic of China, Taiwan's formal name, in Taipei, Taiwan October 10, 2024. (Reuters)

China is likely to launch military drills in the coming days near Taiwan, using President Lai Ching-te's upcoming trip to the Pacific and scheduled US transit as a pretext, according to assessments by Taiwan and regional security officials.

Lai will start a visit to Taipei's three diplomatic allies in the Pacific on Saturday, and sources told Reuters he was planning stops in Hawaii and the US territory of Guam in a sensitive trip coming shortly after the US election.

China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and the most important issue in its relations with Washington, has a strong dislike of Lai whom Beijing calls a "separatist".

Lai's office has yet to confirm details of what are officially stop-overs in the United States, but is expected to do so shortly before he departs, sources familiar with the trip have previously said.

Beijing could conduct military maneuvers around or shortly after Lai's trip which ends on Dec. 6, said four officials in the region briefed on the matter, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.

China's defense ministry did not respond to a request for comment, though the government has urged the United States not to permit Lai to transit.

Chen Binhua, spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Wednesday that Lai's transit stops were "essentially provocative acts that violate the one-China principle".

Taiwan's defense ministry and the White House did not respond to a request for comment.

China has already staged two rounds of major exercises around Taiwan this year to pressure Taipei, one in May and one in October, dubbed "Joint Sword - 2024A" and B, respectively.

China could "repackage" ongoing regular military activities in the South China Sea or the East China Sea, moving them closer to Taiwan and rebranding them "Joint Sword - 2024C," according to a Taiwan security official.

Beijing could expand the size of its regular "joint combat readiness patrol" that typically involves naval and air force drills near Taiwan during Lai's visit and launch a "targeted" exercise towards the end of the trip, the source said.

Between 20 and 30 Chinese naval vessels are involved in the ongoing military maneuvers this week in the South China Sea, the source added.

'RED LINE'

Beijing wants to show the incoming US administration of President-elect Donald Trump that the first island chain is "China's sphere of influence" and Lai's trip could become a "pretext", the official said, referring to an area that runs from Japan through Taiwan, the Philippines and on to Borneo, enclosing China's coastal seas.

"Beijing hopes to draw a red line and establish its power" during the US government transition and extend its sphere of influence, the official said, adding the military drills were meant for the United States and its allies.

A second source, a Taiwan-based regional security official, said the drills would probably be more limited in scope than the two earlier rounds this year given unstable winter weather conditions in the Taiwan Strait.

A third source, familiar with security assessments around Taiwan, said China could use exercises in the coming weeks to test the bottom line of the Trump administration.

Two of the sources said more favorable weather conditions may prompt an earlier or delayed display of force in the days around Lai's trip.

Taiwan presidents typically take advantage of stop-overs in the United States going to and from far-flung allies to give speeches and meet with friendly politicians. Lai will be visiting the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, three of the 12 remaining countries maintaining official diplomatic ties with Taipei.

It would not be unprecedented for China to respond militarily to this trip. It did so in August of last year when then-Vice President Lai returned from the United States, and in April of last year upon then-President Tsai Ing-wen's return from California.

Lai and his ruling Democratic Progressive Party reject Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only Taiwan's people can decide their future.