Biden’s Growing Rift with Netanyahu: A Turning Point in US-Israel Relations?

Watan-American media outlets have reported that President Joe Biden has become closer to severing ties with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu more than ever since the beginning of the Gaza war.

This comes at a time when the United States has not significantly changed its policies towards Israel and Gaza, despite the International Court of Justice’s condemnation of the Zionist entity for committing genocide against civilians in the besieged territory.

According to a report by NBC News, President Joe Biden expressed frustration in recent private talks, some of which were with campaign donors, due to his inability to persuade Israel to change its military tactics in the Gaza Strip.

President Benjamin Netanyahu has been described as the main obstacle, according to five people directly familiar with Biden’s comments.

Biden said he is trying to persuade Israel to agree to a ceasefire, but Netanyahu is very stubborn and impossible to deal with, according to those familiar with Biden’s comments, all of whom requested anonymity.

Disdainful Remarks towards Netanyahu

Those familiar with Biden’s remarks said he has spoken particularly harshly about Netanyahu in recent weeks, surprising some of those receiving his comments.

These individuals said that his description of dealings with Netanyahu is filled with disdainful remarks towards him, and in at least three recent instances, Biden referred to Netanyahu as “foolish,” according to three individuals directly familiar with his comments.

Asked about Biden’s remarks regarding Netanyahu, a spokesperson for the National Security Council said the two men have a respectful relationship.

Attempting Justification, the spokesperson added: “The President has been clear about his differences with Prime Minister Netanyahu, but this is a relationship that has endured for decades and is respected publicly and privately.”

Turning Point

Since embracing Netanyahu in a hug during his visit to Israel following the Hamas attack on October 7, Biden has become increasingly frustrated due to the rising number of civilian casualties among Palestinians in Gaza – now over 28,000 – and Netanyahu’s failure to reach a long-term peace agreement.

NBC’s report continued that Biden’s unfiltered frustrations towards Netanyahu, as well as the Israeli Prime Minister’s failure to change tactics in Gaza, suggest that the dynamic between the two leaders could be approaching a turning point.

Netanyahu pledged to continue the military operation in Rafah, despite repeated public opposition from US officials, unless Israel provides a safe passage for Palestinian civilians.

Sharper Tone

On Sunday, Biden told Netanyahu in a phone call that he believes “the military operation in Rafah should not continue without a reliable and executable plan” to protect and support Palestinians taking shelter there, according to the White House statement.

The source added that Biden took a sharper tone on Thursday, describing the Israeli military attack in Gaza as “excessive.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken was also blunt last week after meeting Netanyahu in Israel, telling him that the number of Palestinian civilians dying each day due to Israeli military operations “remains unacceptably high.”

Biden’s Frustrations

Biden’s frustrations with Netanyahu have not led to a major policy shift, but his administration has begun to consider such options.

Two weeks ago, officials told NBC News that the administration was discussing delaying or slowing down US arms sales to Israel as a way to pressure Netanyahu to ease Israeli military operations in Gaza and make more efforts to protect civilians.

Zionist Biden

In a recent fundraising campaign attended by Biden, he spoke about Israel and his frustrations with Netanyahu in front of a small group of donors. In response to thanking him for standing with Israel and against anti-Semitism, Biden took the opportunity to express some of his views, according to one supporter present.

Biden said, “I am a Zionist,” reiterating his view on the necessity of destroying Hamas and protecting Israel, according to the supporter.

However, Biden also expressed frustration with Netanyahu, who is often referred to as “Bibi.”

In another possible policy shift, NBC reported last week that administration officials are crafting options to formally recognize an independent Palestinian state.

However, officials said that even with Biden escalating his rhetoric, he is not yet ready to make major policy changes. He and his aides still believe that his unequivocal support for Israel is the right approach.