Biden prefers a personal touch to diplomacy, but changing circumstances in Gaza and Israel might lead to a shifting course.
President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke Monday, March 18, in their first interaction in more than a month as the divide has grown between allies over food crisis in Gaza and conduct of war. | APIn multiple calls and meetings since Oct. 7, the Netanyahu government told their American counterparts they would open humanitarian aid routes into Gaza — but that they would do so solely because Washington asked.
“Their talks are very candid,” said the senior official, like others granted anonymity to detail a sensitive relationship. “They skip past the diplomatic formalities and go right into the substance and work things out on the calls all the time.” But on Wednesday, Netanyahu reversed course. A U.S. official familiar with the matter relayed that the prime minister’s office had said they’d like to reschedule the meeting to Rafah. That about-face came after what the official described as “constructive discussions with Israel’s defense minister over the last two days.”
The Biden administration complains that not enough humanitarian aid gets into Gaza, that Israeli forces killed too many innocent people and that Netanyahu has his sights set on the destruction of Hamas, which U.S. officials say is possible militarily but not ideologically. Biden administration officials suspect Netanyahu canceled the Israeli delegation not over the U.S. decision to allow the U.N. resolution to pass, as Netanyahu said, but rather to boost his standing at home. A bill to conscript ultra-Orthodox Jews into military service has threatened to bring Netanyahu’s government down, causing him to
A group of 17 Senate Democrats last week stated that Israel’s slowdown of aid into Gaza could be reason enough toHouse Republicans ask Netanyahu to address Congress
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Biden: Netanyahu 'hurting Israel' by not preventing more civilian deaths in GazaPresident Joe Biden said Saturday that he believes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is 'hurting Israel more than helping Israel' in how he is approaching its war against Hamas in Gaza.
Read more »
Biden: Netanyahu 'hurting Israel' by not preventing more civilian deaths in GazaPresident Joe Biden says he believes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “hurting Israel more than helping Israel” in how he is approaching its war against Hamas in Gaza.
Read more »
Biden: Netanyahu 'hurting Israel' by not preventing more civilian deathsPresident Joe Biden says he believes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “hurting Israel more than helping Israel” in how he is approaching its war against Hamas in Gaza. The U.S. leader expressed support for Israel’s right to pursue Hamas after the Oct.
Read more »
Biden: Netanyahu 'hurting Israel' by not preventing more civilian deaths in GazaPresident Joe Biden says he believes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “hurting Israel more than helping Israel” in how he is approaching its war against Hamas in Gaza.
Read more »
Biden: Netanyahu 'hurting Israel' by not preventing civilian deaths in GazaBiden says a potential Israeli invasion of the Gaza city of Rafah is “a red line” for him, but said he would not cut off weapons like the Iron Dome missile interceptors.
Read more »
Biden: Netanyahu 'hurting Israel' by not preventing more civilian deaths in GazaPresident Joe Biden says he believes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “hurting Israel more than helping Israel” in how he is approaching its war against Hamas in Gaza
Read more »