Joe Biden had his first official phone call with Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House confirmed on Wednesday after questions swirled over whether the United States president was trying to send a message to the Israeli prime minister by delaying the call. It was Biden’s first call to a Middle East leader since he took office on January 20, signalling the importance of the US-Israel relationship, which has been strong for decades but was significantly bolstered by former President Donald Trump – a staunch Netanyahu ally.
