So, get this – President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are gearing up for a big meet-up in Washington, DC. The plan is for Netanyahu to address Congress on July 24, but the details of the Biden-Netanyahu meeting are still being ironed out. It’s expected to happen at the White House, unless something unexpected pops up last minute. A White House official spilled to CNN that Biden has known Netanyahu for decades, and it's highly likely they'll catch up while the Prime Minister is in town. But, of course, no official announcement has been made yet.
This meet-up is happening against a backdrop of some pretty serious tension. The Israel-Hamas war's ceasefire and hostage deal are still in limbo, and Biden has been increasingly vocal about his frustrations with how Israel is handling things, especially concerning civilian protections. Netanyahu recently said he's still on board with Biden's May proposal for a ceasefire and hostage release, which aims to free all remaining hostages, achieve a permanent ceasefire, and see Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza. But the Prime Minister initially suggested he might only go for a partial deal, which didn’t go over well.
Biden and Netanyahu have been in regular phone contact since Hamas attacked on October 7, and they last met face-to-face when Biden flew to Tel Aviv right after the attack. Biden hasn’t been shy about expressing his impatience and criticisms publicly. Just last month, he hinted in an interview that Netanyahu might be prolonging the war to hold onto power and mentioned that it’s still up in the air whether Israel has committed war crimes.
Recently, Netanyahu stirred up quite a bit of frustration in Washington. In a video posted on X, he claimed the Biden administration was "withholding weapons" and that Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured him that the U.S. was working around the clock to clear these bottlenecks. This did not sit well with U.S. officials. Amos Hochstein, a U.S. envoy, reportedly told Netanyahu his comments were "unproductive" and, more importantly, "completely untrue." To back this up, American officials went through a detailed explanation of the hundreds of U.S. weapons shipments to Israel with the Israeli defense minister.
Here are some key takeaways from this brewing storm:
- Meeting of the Minds: Biden and Netanyahu are set to meet in Washington, with Netanyahu addressing Congress on July 24. Details are still being finalized.
- Ceasefire Stalemate: The ceasefire and hostage deal in the Israel-Hamas war remain stalled, with tensions high between Biden and Netanyahu.
- Long-standing Relationship: Biden and Netanyahu go way back, but recent events have tested their relationship.
- Public Frustrations: Biden hasn’t hesitated to share his growing impatience and criticisms publicly.
- Weapon Claims Controversy: Netanyahu’s claims about the U.S. withholding weapons sparked intense frustration, leading to a detailed rebuttal from American officials.
Despite the long history between Biden and Netanyahu, the current situation is fraught with complications. Biden’s growing frustration with Israel’s handling of the war and Netanyahu’s controversial statements about U.S. support highlight the strained relations. Whether this meeting will help mend the rift or further complicate matters remains to be seen. All eyes will be on Washington as these two leaders navigate their complex relationship amidst a backdrop of ongoing conflict and international scrutiny.
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