White House sending Jake Sullivan to Israel for talks with Netanyahu

The Biden administration plans to send national security adviser Jake Sullivan to Israel in mid-January for talks with newly sworn-in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his government's policies, according to five Israeli and U.S. officials.

Why it matters: The White House is concerned about the new Israeli government's policies on the occupied West Bank — including plans to expand settlements and legalize outposts.

U.S. concerns extend to policies that could harm Israeli democracy.

Those include measures that would decrease the independence of Israel's judicial system, and challenge the rights of its Arab minority...