Naftali Bennett, Israeli parliament member from the Yamina party, gives a statement at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem, June 6, 2021. Menahem Kahana/Pool via REUTERS

i24 News – Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will fly to Washington in August for his first face-to-face meeting with US President Joe Biden since taking office in June, reports Israel’s Channel 12 news.

Iran will reportedly be the premier’s top agenda item to discuss at the White House, including Israeli concerns about the Islamic Republic’s incoming president, Ebrahim Raisi, with the hardliner set to take the helm in early August.

Bennett is reportedly considering taking the US trip on a weekend so as not to risk missing any votes in the Knesset (Israel Parliament) as the new “change bloc” coalition is held together by a razor thin margin, meaning every vote counts.

Biden phoned Bennett after Israel’s new government was sworn in last month, saying that Washington remained committed to Israel’s security and would work closely with its new government.

In a statement, Biden welcomed the new government coalition and sought to reaffirm US-Israel ties.

“I look forward to working with Prime Minister Bennett to strengthen all aspects of the close and enduring relationship between our two nations,” Biden said. “Israel has no better friend than the United States.”