US President Joe Biden (R) shakes arms with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu throughout a gathering within the Oval Workplace of the White Home in Washington, DC, on July 25, 2024. (AFP)
WASHINGTON – US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris pushed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree a Gaza ceasefire Thursday, with pleasant greetings masking tense ties in addition to questions over Biden’s relevance.
Simply days after the 81-year-old Biden’s beautiful announcement that he wouldn’t search reelection, he and Netanyahu placed on a good-humored present of their first assembly on the White Home throughout Biden’s presidency.
“From a proud Zionist Jew to a proud Zionist Irish American, I wish to thanks for 50 years of public service and 50 years of assist for the State of Israel,” Netanyahu stated in tribute to Biden at first of the Oval Workplace assembly.
“And I stay up for discussing with you right this moment and dealing with you within the months forward.”
However Netanyahu, 74, additionally met individually with Vice President and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris — reflecting the brand new political actuality of Biden being a lame duck for the following six months.
Harris has been extra outspoken on Gaza previously and there was hypothesis that she may undertake a more durable method on Israel. Officers deny there’s any “daylight” between her and Biden.
“We have now rather a lot to speak about,” Harris stated as they shook arms. Netanyahu replied: “We do certainly.”
‘Compromise’
The White Home stated Biden would maintain pushing for a ceasefire and hostage launch deal between Israel and Hamas, a doubtlessly legacy-defining achievement if it occurs.
Biden’s administration stated it nonetheless believed that Netanyahu was prepared for an settlement regardless of a fiery speech to the US Congress on Wednesday during which he vowed “complete victory” in opposition to Hamas.
“The president might be reaffirming for Prime Minister Netanyahu that he believes we have to get there, and we have to get there quickly,” Nationwide Safety Council spokesman John Kirby instructed reporters.
“We are able to obtain a deal, nevertheless it’s going to require, because it at all times does, some management, some compromise.”
Biden and Netanyahu later met the households of US hostages held in Gaza, who known as the assembly “productive and sincere.”
“We really feel most likely extra optimistic than we now have for the reason that first spherical of releases in late November,” Jonathan Dekel-Chen, the daddy of American hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen, instructed reporters after the assembly.
Protesters chanted slogans outdoors a hoop of metallic obstacles erected across the White Home, following rowdy protests throughout Netanyahu’s speech to lawmakers.
Harris on Thursday condemned the “despicable” and “unpatriotic” burning of an American flag by protesters, after makes an attempt by Donald Trump’s Republicans to color Democrats as pro-Hamas.
‘Remaining gaps’
Whereas Biden has saved navy support flowing to Israel since Hamas’s October 7 assaults, relations with Netanyahu have been deeply strained by Israel’s conduct throughout the conflict and suspicions that he could also be stalling on a deal.
A senior US administration official stated Wednesday that negotiations on a Gaza settlement had been within the “closing phases” and that Biden would attempt to shut some “last gaps” with Netanyahu.
In a primetime speech on Wednesday explaining his determination to bow out of the election, Biden stated he would “maintain working to finish the conflict on Gaza.”
However in an extra signal of Biden’s diminishing relevance, and Netanyahu’s willpower to play either side, the Israeli PM may even meet Trump in Florida on Friday.
The ex-president on Thursday urged Israel to shortly “end up” its conflict in Gaza, warning its international picture was being tarnished.
The Hamas assault on October 7 resulted within the deaths of 1,197 individuals in Israel, most of them civilians, in response to an AFP tally primarily based on official Israeli figures.
Out of 251 individuals taken hostage that day, 111 are nonetheless being held contained in the Gaza Strip, together with 39 who the navy says are lifeless.
Greater than 39,100 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s navy marketing campaign within the Gaza Strip for the reason that conflict started, in response to knowledge supplied by the well being ministry of Hamas-run Gaza, which doesn’t give particulars of civilian and militant deaths.
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