Biden does sign of cross in unusual moment during meeting with Israeli Prime Minister

U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged on Wednesday (September 20) to work together toward a landmark agreement to forge diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Meeting for the first time since Netanyahu returned to power in December, both leaders signaled a desire to ease strains in their relationship, but Biden also made clear he was determined to discuss their differences. These included Biden's opposition to Netanyahu’s far-right government’s controversial judicial overhaul plan as well as his concern about Israel’s hard line toward the Palestinians. “I hope we can get some things settled today,” Biden said at the start of the talks sitting side-by-side with Netanyahu in a New York hotel ballroom. Instead of a meeting at the White House – the more prestigious venue preferred by Netanyahu - the two leaders ended up arranging their talks on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. U.S. officials expected the judicial overhaul to be raised in their conversations, with Biden likely to reiterate his call for Netanyahu to reverse course, as well as efforts to counter Iran’s nuclear program. Biden reiterated his commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and also repeated his support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But the biggest issue on the agenda was a U.S.-led push to forge diplomatic relations between longtime foes Israel and Saudi Arabia, the centerpiece of broader complex negotiations that involve U.S. security guarantees and civilian nuclear help sought by Riyadh as well as Israeli concessions to the Palestinians. “I think that under your leadership, Mr President, we can forge a historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia,” Netanyahu said, adding that “such a peace would go a long way first to advance the end of the Arab-Israeli conflict, achieve reconciliation between the Islamic world and the Jewish state and advance a genuine peace between Israel and the Palestinians.” Netanyahu said they could work together to make history. “Together,” Biden repeated, signaling his commitment to the normalization effort, which he said would have been unthinkable years ago. The Sun newspaper brings you the latest breaking news videos and explainers from the UK and around the world Become a Sun Subscriber and hit the bell to be the first to know Read The Sun: http://www.thesun.co.uk Like The Sun on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesun/ Follow The Sun on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheSun Subscribe to The Sun on Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/discover/The_Sun/1633225139 #joebiden #uspolitics