President Joe Biden has increased his criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s role in the Israel-Hamas war, stating in an interview with Univision that he believes Netanyahu’s approach is a mistake and that he does not agree with it. Biden’s remarks, taped last Wednesday, highlight his growing willingness to publicly criticize Netanyahu amid mounting criticism from progressives about Israel’s handling of the conflict. Despite this criticism, Biden did not indicate any significant changes in U.S. policy toward Israel, although he praised Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s call for new elections in Israel.
Biden has faced criticism for not backing up his comments on Netanyahu with conditions on selling U.S. arms to Israel, especially in light of the decision in March to send more weapons to the country. Last week, over three dozen Democrats in Congress, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, signed a letter urging Biden to withhold arms transfers if Israel fails to sufficiently protect innocent civilians in Gaza. In the Univision interview, Biden called for Israelis to initiate a cease-fire and allow for total access for food and medicine into Gaza, with neighboring countries like Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt prepared to provide aid.
Biden’s criticism of Netanyahu escalated after an Israeli airstrike on April 1 that killed seven humanitarian workers from World Central Kitchen. The president accused Israel of failing to protect aid workers delivering much-needed assistance to civilians. Despite his initial assertion of ironclad support for Israel after the Hamas attack on October 7, Biden has since had to navigate anti-war and pro-Palestinian protests against him, with calls for protest votes in the Democratic primary.
Families of American hostages met with Vice President Kamala Harris, who provided an update on the White House’s efforts to bring the hostages home. Jonathan Dekel-Chen, the father of an American hostage, reported that there is a deal on the table that all parties agree to and are willing to work with, pending Hamas’s agreement. The negotiations are ongoing as Netanyahu signals Israel’s intention to launch an offensive on Rafah, a move the U.S. opposes. The White House has expressed concerns about a major ground operation in Rafah and Biden conveyed these concerns to Netanyahu during a March conversation.
Overall, President Biden’s criticism of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war has become more vocal, with calls for a cease-fire and increased aid to civilians in Gaza. While he has been praised for his remarks by some Democrats, others have called for concrete action to back up his words, particularly regarding arms sales to Israel. The ongoing negotiations to bring American hostages home and concerns over a possible Israeli offensive in Rafah further highlight the complexities of the situation and the challenges facing the Biden administration in navigating the conflict.
