In a recent interview with Time, U.S. President Joe Biden expressed skepticism regarding the intentions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The Biden administration has been persistently urging Netanyahu and the Israeli government to curtail their military operations against Hamas in Gaza. This comes as Biden's supporters and voters increasingly advocate for a ceasefire. However, Israel remains steadfast in its resolve to continue until Hamas is defeated.
Biden suggested that Netanyahu might be intentionally prolonging the conflict for his own political survival. "There is every reason for people to draw that conclusion," Biden told Time. He pointed to the backlash Netanyahu faced from the Israeli military prior to the war, over his desire to alter the court system. This was in reference to a law passed by Netanyahu's coalition in July 2023 to limit the Israeli Supreme Court's oversight of the government, which was subsequently struck down in January. Biden added, "And so it's an internal domestic debate that seems to have no consequence. And whether he would change his position or not, it's hard to say, but it has not been helpful."
When asked if he believed Netanyahu was responsible for the intelligence failures that allowed Hamas to attack Israel on October 7, Biden refrained from blaming any "one person." He then shifted the conversation to his "major disagreement" with Netanyahu on the plan for Gaza after the war ends, rejecting the notion of Israeli forces taking control of the region.
"I don't know how any one person has that responsibility. He was the leader of the country, so therefore, it happened. But he wasn't the only one that didn't pick it up," Biden told Time. He further expressed his disagreement with Netanyahu on the post-war plan for Gaza, stating, "There needs to be a two-state solution, a transition to a two-state solution. And that's my biggest disagreement with Bibi Netanyahu."
Biden and Netanyahu, both seasoned politicians, have known each other for decades. However, their relationship has become increasingly strained due to disagreements on how Israel's war against Hamas should be conducted. Biden is currently advocating for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza due to humanitarian concerns affecting the millions of Palestinians living in the region. Conversely, Netanyahu and his coalition believe a ceasefire can only be achieved once Hamas is significantly weakened, arguing that the terrorist group would never accept true peace.
Defense experts and former U.S. officials have previously told the Daily Caller News Foundation that a ceasefire at this stage may allow Hamas to regroup, resurge, and potentially attack Israel again in the future. Israel has killed thousands of Hamas fighters, but thousands more remain, primarily in southern Gaza but also in central and northern regions.
The two world leaders have had several tense phone calls about the war since October 7. Biden has reportedly become confused or upset with Netanyahu's plans and comments, even abruptly ending a call with Netanyahu out of anger on one occasion. Netanyahu, on the other hand, has reportedly become frustrated with how the Biden administration is trying to moderate Israel's war aims, allegedly declaring during a war cabinet meeting in May that Israel is not a "vassal state of the United States."
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