US president’s remarks to Time magazine about PM’s role in conflict draw heavily critical response from Israeli government

Joe Biden has said that there is “every reason” to draw the conclusion that Benjamin Netanyahu is prolonging the war in Gaza for his own political self-preservation.

Biden made the remarks about the Israeli prime minister in an interview with Time magazine published on Tuesday morning, drawing a sharp response from the Israeli government, which accused the US president of straying from diplomatic norms.

Netanyahu’s popularity plummeted after the 7 October attack by Hamas, which exposed serious flaws in Israeli security. Most political observers say Netanyahu would lose elections if they were held now, and would be forced into opposition, facing court hearings on corruption charges. But elections have been put off until the war is over, or at least until major military operations are deemed to have been completed.

Time asked Biden whether he believed Netanyahu was “prolonging the war for his own political self-preservation”.

“I’m not going to comment on that,” the president said in response, but added: “There is every reason for people to draw that conclusion.”

  • kvasir476@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    So we’re going to stop supplying Israel with weapons, money, and international cover, right? RIGHT?

  • StaySquared@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    This is supposed to be the 2nd and final Nakba, annexing the entire Palestinian territory. With the goal of expanding Israel into Greater Israel. This goal will never end until the elimination and illegalization of Zionism. It doesn’t matter what the U.S. politicians say. BDS is the only first step.

    • tron@midwest.social
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      5 months ago

      Elimination and illegalization of Zionism? I’m not a Zionist by any stretch, but this is terrible thinking. You’re gonna kill and arrest people for ideas in their head? My god, no thanks.

  • SuddenDownpour@sh.itjust.works
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    5 months ago

    This is why I cheered when Biden pushed for a truce the past week, even though I’ve been really critical of Biden and that move didn’t guarantee peace: because it locked the US administration into a dichotomy where they would either have to keep pushing to stop the war, or they’d look like tremendous hypocrites when Israel rejected the deal and the US continued supporting them. It’s going to be quite difficult for Biden to do anything other than opposing Netanyahu until he agrees to attend the peace talks, or is ousted.

    • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Oh this is like the third time he’s tried to take a premature victory lap on a peace deal. They just don’t care about looking like hypocrites. Even when Hamas is the one saying yes and Israel refuses they just blame Hamas and go on to the next news cycle like nothing happened.

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    Full quote:

    Time asked Biden whether he believed Netanyahu was “prolonging the war for his own political self-preservation”.

    “I’m not going to comment on that,” the president said in response, but added: “There is every reason for people to draw that conclusion.”

    But he still won’t even fucking say it…

    And people are already trying to frame this as him being “tough” on Israel.

    No matter what happens, no matter what atrocities they commit, Biden will always be loyal to Israel over all else.

    Which should be immediately disqualifying for president of America, for reasons that should be obvious by now.

    • WamGams@lemmy.ca
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      5 months ago

      Biden essentially just told the world the US has no faith in Netanyahu leadership, which is essentially telling the Likkud to disband and form a new coalition government.

      I get that you guys are demanding he use a word that the ICC has refused to use, but he is laying the groundwork yo accomplish an end to this but it doesn’t fit your narrative.

  • pjwestin@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    Later on Tuesday, Biden appeared to tone down his criticism of Netanyahu. Asked whether Netanyahu was “playing politics with the war”, Biden said: “I don’t think so. He’s trying to work out a serious problem he has.”

    Every time he starts to give something halfway close to a good response to something insane happening in Gaza, he walks it back within days.

    • katy ✨@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      5 months ago

      almost as if he’s a world leader and doesn’t want to get into an international crisis with a nuclear power who is bombing palestine. who’d have thought that he was actually smarter at geopolitics than some random person on social media.