U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman met in Washington on Wednesday with Ronen Levi, the director-general of Israel’s Foreign Ministry.
During the meeting, which was closed to the press, the two diplomats discussed “a range of global issues, including opportunities to advance regional integration through the Negev Forum, recent developments in Sudan and Russia’s aggression in Ukraine,” according to U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.
The Negev Forum was founded in March 2022 at the Negev Summit in Kibbutz Sde Boker, as part of the implementation process of the Abraham Accords. Six working groups were established, to serve as a framework for increasing regional diplomatic and economic cooperation.
Productive conversation today with Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General @RonenLeviMaoz. We discussed ways to further deepen and expand the U.S.-Israel relationship as well as advance regional integration through the Negev Forum. https://t.co/jKkFv2bsB0 pic.twitter.com/EKlMox7Bur
— Wendy R. Sherman (@DeputySecState) May 17, 2023
A very productive discussions at the State Department with @AmosHochstein and at the NSC with Jon Finer, @brett_mcgurk and @JDevermont 🇮🇱🇺🇸
Together with @AmbHerzog, we discussed the current dynamics in the greater Middle East and Africa, as well as how we can continue to work…
— Ronen Levi (Maoz) (@RonenLeviMaoz) May 17, 2023
Israeli media reported on Monday that the United States has conveyed to Jerusalem a request by the other forum participants to change its name to something “less Israeli.” According to Channel 13, the countries making the request claim that a more general name will make it easier for additional countries to join.
That same day, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid blasted the idea, stating that for Israel to accede to it would indicate that the current government “doesn’t understand what national pride is.”
ההתקפלות הזו היא חרפה והממשלה הזו אינה מבינה גאווה לאומית מהי. https://t.co/aFI6Fs9Jj1
— יאיר לפיד – Yair Lapid (@yairlapid) May 15, 2023
During Wednesday’s meeting, Sherman reaffirmed Washington’s “ironclad support for Israel’s security and commitment to continued cooperation,” according to the State Department.
She also stressed the importance to Washington of “the Palestinian Authority taking additional steps to stabilize the situation in the West Bank” and its resolve to “remain engaged with Israel, the Palestinians and regional partners to promote calm in the months ahead, building upon the recent ceasefire in Israel and Gaza.”