Biden: Netanyahu’s Actions are Prolonging Gaza War, People Have Every Reason to Believe
President Joe Biden recently discussed the theory that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might be prolonging the conflict in the Gaza Strip for personal political gain.
In an interview with Time magazine at the White House on May 28, President Biden addressed various foreign policy issues, including the situation in Gaza and efforts to reach a ceasefire.
Initially, President Biden blamed Hamas, a designated terrorist group, for the ongoing violence and suggested that the conflict could end quickly if Hamas agreed to the ceasefire terms presented by Israel.
When asked about the theory that Netanyahu is using the conflict for his political survival, President Biden refrained from commenting directly but acknowledged that such conclusions could be drawn based on the political context in Israel.
He referenced the internal debate in Israel preceding the conflict and the protests against Netanyahu’s proposed judicial changes as contributing to this theory.
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President Biden’s comments were further highlighted by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who also referenced the internal Israeli political climate and Netanyahu’s controversial judicial changes as factors in the conflict.
Biden, Netanyahu Offer Differing Ceasefire Rhetoric
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller clarified that President Biden did not directly endorse the theory but acknowledged that some people could perceive it that way. He mentioned the ongoing efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement despite reservations from Netanyahu’s coalition members.
President Biden announced a proposed ceasefire plan by the Israeli government, emphasizing the need to prevent Hamas from re-arming without explicitly calling for their total defeat, unlike Netanyahu’s stated goals.
Netanyahu, in response, denied agreeing to any ceasefire deal that did not meet Israel’s conditions, raising concerns within his coalition about the terms of the proposed agreement.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir voiced doubts about Netanyahu’s stance on the ceasefire deal and threatened to withdraw his party from the coalition if the terms did not align with their objectives.
Despite these challenges, the ceasefire proposal remains on the table, awaiting Hamas’ acceptance, as per Mr. Miller’s statements.
