Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid is scheduled to visit Washington, DC, next week, as confirmed by a spokesperson on Tuesday. The purpose of the visit, according to the spokesperson, is to focus on strengthening the Israel-US strategic relationship, efforts to bring hostages back home, addressing the situation in the north, and discussing Israel's role in the region.
Notably, a recent visit to Washington by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rival Benny Gantz stirred controversy. Gantz, a member of the Israeli war cabinet, met with Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his visit in early March. The Biden administration officials expressed concerns over the situation in Gaza, describing it as 'unacceptable and unsustainable.'
It is worth mentioning that Gantz's visit was not officially sanctioned by the Israeli government, as he did not have the Israeli ambassador accompanying him in his meetings, as per an official source.
On the other hand, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been known to have regular meetings with Yair Lapid during his visits to Israel, indicating an established communication channel between the two.
Efforts are underway to determine if any officials from the US State Department and National Security Council are planning to meet with Yair Lapid during his upcoming visit to Washington.
