THREAD: 1. The precise timing of a Biden-Netanyahu phone call, in my view, is the ultimate non-story. But since everyone seems to be talking about it, here is my take. Bottom line up front: There's no message, no crisis, just President Biden doing the job he was elected to do.

2. In the Oval Office, Biden has prominently placed a portrait of FDR. That's because he is entering the presidency with more national emergencies and urgent priorities than any president since Roosevelt, some caused by his predecessor, others by external forces.

3. Throughout the election and the transition, and since Jan. 20, Biden has made very clear what his priorities are, the issues he was elected by the American people to address, and which expects them to judge him on. He's been disciplined & consistent about focusing on them.

4. At home, his priorities are: delivering America from the COVID-19 pandemic; providing desperately needed economic relief; addressing the crisis of system racism highlighted by last summer's protests; and building a government focused on fighting climate change.

5. Abroad, his priorities are: revitalizing our core alliances in NATO & Asia, which were so damaged by Trump; restoring US global leadership on transnational issues (COVID, climate, refugees, nonprolif, democratic recession); the global challenge of China; &an aggressive Russia.

6. Each of these is a generational challenge. Biden has to address them all at once. The Middle East is not unimportant. Israel is not unimportant. Of course, Iran will get early attention. But they're not in the same top tier of priorities as these emergencies & urgent matters.

7. It is not as if the US-Israel relationship is being ignored.  @SecBlinken,  @SecDef, NSA  @jakejsullivan have all made early, productive calls to their Israeli counterparts, Blinken twice.  @CENTCOM commander Gen. McKenzie has visited Israel to advance security cooperation.

8.  @StateDept issued a strong statement supporting Israel against a proposed investigation of alleged war crimes by the International Criminal Court. The business of the bilateral relationship is being conducted daily in multiple channels.

9. But in the first three weeks of his presidency, Biden has let his cabinet handle everything below the top tier of issues. He is focused on what is most urgent.

10. The only foreign leaders calls Biden has made so far are to 1) the neighbors, Canada and Mexico; 2) NATO allies - UK, France, Germany, NATO SecGen; 3) Asian allies and partners - Japan, S. Korea, Australia, India; and 4) Russia and China.

11. The last two are not US allies, they're rivals/adversaries. But the US has major interests with both, issues we disagree on & areas where we must cooperate. Russia was necessary for NewSTART extension. China will be the defining issue in US foreign policy for decades to come.

12. That's 12 calls, all consistent w/the priorities laid out above. Should Israel be a top 12 call in that prioritization? It's a crucial partner. But that's a hard case to make. The call will be soon, still likely in the first 15 calls, when Biden moves beyond top priorities.

13. Lots of people are determined to inject drama into this utterly undramatic story, citing all manner of past episodes and attributing all manner of motivations. I think that's nonsense. Biden has a lifelong commitment to the US-Israel relationship, and that won't change now.

14. The real issue is that Biden has become president at an extraordinary moment in our nation's history. He's focused on the most urgent things first. Other (also important) things, he'll deal with a bit later & has had his cabinet tend to them until now. So everyone chill out.

15. End.