Rome (AP) — Quiet-Diplomatic of Quiet. Direct visit. And a very public No Surprises agreement on Iran.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Foreign Minister Yale Rapid met in Rome on Sunday, and the new government turned the pages of former President Donald Trump and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, exacerbating the split between the two countries.

With Trump resigning in Florida and Netanyahu leading the opposition, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett are at risk of inciting the opposition or distracting attention from other priorities at home. It focuses on practical diplomacy rather than one dramatic initiative.

That means aiming for smaller outcomes, such as supporting an informal ceasefire that ended the war with Gaza’s radical Hamas rulers last month and replenishing Israel’s Iron Dome defense system. The great impetus for reviving the long dormant peace process between Israeli and Palestinians can be a delicate balance.

Iran Goldenberg, a Middle East security expert at the Center for a New American Security, a non-profit, said: “But there are things you can do quietly on the ground and under radar to improve the situation.”

That approach of managing conflicts rather than trying to resolve them may succeed in the dispute over the domestic sector. But it also maintains the status quo that Palestinians feel increasingly oppressive and hopeless, and that it fuels countless cycles of anxiety.

Like when Americans and Israelis personally urged Netanyahu to end the war between Israel and Hamas prior to the ceasefire that came into effect on May 21, like Biden’s “quiet” diplomacy. , Trying to resolve the difference away from the people.

“They can either have a battle or handle it in a closed room to move policy,” said Mark Melman, a Democratic pollster who worked as a consultant for Rapid’s campaign. I know. “

The two governments seek to maintain Israel’s fragile coalition by reducing the provocations that sparked the 11-day war, killing at least 254 Palestinians and killing 13 in Israel. ..

The Israeli New Deal coalition barely goes beyond the belief that Netanyahu had to go. It is made up of eight parties, each with virtually veto power to make decisions. Therefore, even if one party tightens the bolt, the Israeli government is at serious risk of collapse and Netanyahu is waiting behind the scenes.

At least in the short term, centrist Rapid will be an Israeli dignitary on the restoration of the tattered relationship between Biden and the Democratic Party. The party controls both houses, but is increasingly divided in the Middle East conflict, and progressive members are calling on the United States to put more pressure on Israel.

“What they are building now is mutual trust,” said former Israeli ambassador Michael Oren under Netanyahu. “I expect a change in tone, not substance … but that could produce something better for Israel.”

At the top of the agenda of both countries is a discussion in Vienna over resurrecting Iran’s 2015 agreement with world powers that limit Tehran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons. With the support of Netanyahu, Trump withdrew the United States from trading in 2018 and imposed sanctions on Islamic republic. Biden promised to restore and expand the agreement.

Despite opposition to the new agreement, Israel’s new government appears to be trying to influence the negotiations rather than terminating them altogether. Netanyahu infuriated many Democrats when he accused “very bad deals” before the 2015 joint session of Congress.

Netanyahu’s rebellion against the Obama administration and subsequent close ties with Trump were widely seen as undermining traditional bipartisan US support for Israel. The Israelis have welcomed Trump’s diplomatic gifts to Netanyahu for years, but their timing is often suspected that he was trying to maintain the prime minister’s power through deadlocked elections and ongoing corruption trials. It led to.

In contrast to Netanyahu’s approach during the Obama era, Rapid recently announced that he and Blinken had agreed to a “surprise-free” policy to keep the line of communication open. The two are expected to discuss this issue in Rome on Sunday.

Even right-wing Benjamin, who is idealistically consistent with Hawkeye Netanyahu, softens Iran’s rhetoric.

“We will continue to consult with friends and persuade, discuss and share information and insights from mutual respect,” Bennett said Thursday. “But in the end, we will be responsible for our destiny and not for anyone else.”

Relieving tension, or at least not relieving tension, is an important strategy, officials said. Bennett, for example, is a religious nationalist who supports the expansion of settlements on the west bank of the occupied Jordan River. But if he keeps away from the dovish coalition partner, he runs the risk of losing his job.

Authorities expect that settlements will rarely expand beyond so-called “natural growth”. However, it is a vaguely defined term that not only allows for considerable construction, but also allows for major infrastructure projects that pave the way for explosive future growth.

The Israeli Ministry of Defense has been planning 31 settlement construction projects, including shopping centers and special schools, last week, Israeli media reported.

On the US side, the Biden administration has stated that it wants to free the country from uncontrollable conflicts in the Middle East and focus on other challenges such as climate change and competition with China.

On Monday, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin will visit Washington at Biden’s invitation. A group of House Democrats is planning an official trip to Israel at the same time as the parliament’s adjournment on July 4.

There is even talk of Rapid and Bennett traveling to Washington separately or together in the second half of the summer, officials said. Bennett served as prime minister for the first two years, followed by the coalition architect Rapid.

All staff members discussed on condition of anonymity, management plans and logistics, but have not yet been finalized.

So far, the reset seems to work. However, the Israeli coalition is only two weeks away and a serious challenge is imminent.

Biden moved to overturn Netanyahu’s supportive Trump policy, which alienated Palestinians, and said the administration should enjoy equal security and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians.

But the United States still explains how Israel’s half-century military occupation of the West Bank, the blockade of Hamas’ rule in Gaza, and the discriminatory policy in Jerusalem that fueled the fountain of anxiety, will not end. I have not.

On the Israeli side, peace with the Democratic Party seems to be a more urgent priority.

“They are angry,” Rapid said when he took command of the Israeli Foreign Ministry. “We need to change the way we work with them.”

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Kelman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Nickmeier reported from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.