The Israeli daily newspaper, Haaretz, reported that Prime Minister (PM) Naftali Bennett decided to boycott the US special envoy to Iran, Robert Malley, against the backdrop of Washington's return to the nuclear deal talks with Tehran.
The newspaper quoted a source close to Bennett as saying that the PM is not boycotting Malley at all. But Bennett believes that returning to the (negotiating) table is not the right thing to do by the USA. "
He added that "Malley is promoting this approach" in the administration of US President Joe Biden.
According to another Israeli official, "the official position of Malley is not big enough to meet the Prime Minister or head of state during his visit to the region."
However, Malley will meet officials in Bennett's office, Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.
And the US State Department announced last Thursday that Malley will visit the Middle East, and will visit Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain before a new round of talks aimed at reviving the Iran nuclear deal, which is supposed to start on November 29 in Vienna.
The US State Department announced that its special envoy on Iran, Robert Malley, left Thursday for the Middle East at the head of an official inter-ministerial delegation to coordinate Washington's positions with its partners there.
The ministry said in a statement that Mali's regional tour will continue until November 20 and will include the UAE, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.
The statement of the Department of State indicated that this tour aims to "consult with partners and attend a series of regional meetings."
It adds that "Malley will coordinate an approach to a wide range of concerns related to Iran, including its destabilizing regional activities, and the upcoming seventh round of discussions on the possibility of a mutual return to full compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (of Tehran's nuclear program).
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