PREZ BLAMES BIBI
Hints PM is playing politics with war
WASHINGTON — President Biden hinted in a new interview Tuesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be prolonging the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip for political reasons — even as Biden himself tries to block Israel from finishing off the jihadists in their final major bastion of Rafah.
“I’m not going to comment on that,” Biden answered before immediately adding: “There is every reason for people to draw that conclusion.”
The commander in chief contradicted himself when a reporter raised the issue Tuesday afternoon following a speech on USMexico border policy.
“Is Prime Minister Netanyahu playing politics with the war?” the journalist asked in the White
House East Room.
“I don’t think so,” the president replied. “He’s trying to work out a serious problem he has.”
Polling shows the Middle East war has driven a wedge between Biden and important Democratic constituencies — including younger voters, Arab Americans and Muslims — ahead of his Nov. 5 rematch against former President Donald Trump.
The president has been heckled as “Genocide
Joe” and Democratic pundits have speculated that Netanyahu’s (inset) policies in Gaza may reflect a preference for Trump.
During his four-year term, Trump moved the US Embassy from
Tel Aviv to disputed Jerusalem, recognized Israeli ownership of the Golan Heights and presided over the brokering of diplomatic relations between Israel and five Muslim countries.
Biden has continued some Trump-era diplomatic eflooming forts, and in 2022 took Air Force One directly from Israel to Saudi Arabia to mark the opening of direct flights between the countries. He has suggested Hamas’ Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel was intended to derail Saudi-Israeli normalization.
Although Biden suggested that Netanyahu was to blame for extending the war, the US administration has repeatedly warned the Israeli leader not to go after Hamas in Rafah due to fear of civilian casualties. The president on Friday announced a proposed ceasefire, which Biden described as an Israeli offer made with US support.
The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed legislation to sanction International Criminal Court officials involved in seeking arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes related to Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. In a 247-155 vote, 42 Democrats joined all Republicans in backing the bill.