- Biden questioned Netanyahu’s influence on the 2024 US election
- Biden supports Israel but urges caution on civilian casualties
- US-Israel relations face strain amid regional conflict escalation
Joe Biden had terse words for Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Friday, saying he didn’t know if the Israeli prime minister was holding up a Middle East peace deal – where Israel is at war with Hamas in Gaza and on a military offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon – to influence the outcome of the 2024 US presidential election.
No administration has done more for Israel than I have. None. There are none. And I think Bibi should remember that,” Biden remarked, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname. He went further: “And whether he’s trying to influence the election, I don’t know – but I’m not counting on that.”
The US president made an unexpected and rare visit to the West Wing briefing room, where he answered reporters’ questions for the first time during his term.
He was replying to statements made by one of his allies, Chris Murphy, a Democratic US senator from Connecticut, who told CNN this week that he was concerned Netanyahu was uninterested in a peace deal due to American politics.
The two leaders have long had a delicate relationship. Still, they need more room to manoeuvre as their perspectives on the Israel-Gaza conflict differ, and their political careers hang in the balance.
Biden has pushed for a ceasefire agreement in Gaza for months, and the president and his advisors have often stated that they were on the verge of victory, but no ceasefire has been reached. The secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has engaged in shuttle diplomacy to Israel and peace discussions through intermediaries, but to no success. In some cases, Netanyahu has publicly rejected the notion, while US and Israeli officials continue to talk in private about reaching an agreement.
Meanwhile, Israel has recently moved forward on two fronts: a ground incursion into Lebanon against Hezbollah and a bombing in Gaza. And it has threatened to respond to Iran’s ballistic missile attack this week as the region braces for greater escalation.
Biden stated that no decision had been made on the manner of reaction to Iran. At the same time, there has been speculation of Israel bombing Iran’s oilfields: “I think if I were in their shoes, I’d be thinking about other alternatives than striking oilfields.”
Biden denied that he sought a meeting with Netanyahu to coordinate the reaction to Iran. He wasn’t, he explained.
“I’m assuming when they decide on how they’re going to respond, we will then have a discussion,” he told me.
Netanyahu has become increasingly opposed to Biden’s initiatives. Biden, in turn, has officially halted the delivery of heavy bombs to Israel and expressed growing anxiety about an all-out conflict in the Middle East. Still, he has never agreed to political requests at home or abroad to cease US arms shipments to Israel.
“I don’t believe there’s going to be an all-out war,” Biden said Thursday. “We can avoid this. But there’s still a lot to accomplish.
Following the Hamas strikes in Israel on October 7, Biden’s support for Israel has been strong. With few exceptions, Biden has since supported continued and expanded US arms deliveries to Israel, just cautioning Israel to prevent civilian losses.
Biden has also directed the US military to increase its presence in the region to safeguard Israel from attacks by Hamas, Hezbollah, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, and Iran itself. In April, and again earlier this week, the United States was a key factor in shooting down Iranian missiles fired toward Israel.
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On Thursday, Biden stated that the US and Israel were “discussing” the possibility of Israeli strikes on Iran’s oil infrastructure.
His off-the-cuff remark, which immediately sent oil prices skyrocketing, did not specify if his administration was holding internal deliberations or speaking directly with Israel, nor did he define his reaction to such an attack.
When asked to clarify his statements, Biden told reporters on Friday: “Look, the Israelis have not decided what they are going to do in terms of a strike.” That is under debate.”
Kamala Harris has not changed her stance on arms sales. Still, she has spoken out more assertively for months, demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and condemning civilian deaths in Israel’s battle in the Palestinian territories.
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