It appears that Joe Biden really doesn’t care if Israel exterminates Hamas as long as he gets re-elected.
Axios reported today that Biden pressured Netanyahu last week to scale down the war in Gaza because he’s worried about losing too many young voters in an election year.
Here’s the news:
President Biden last week pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to scale down the Israeli military operation in Gaza, stressing he is not in it for a year of war, two U.S. officials told Axios.
Biden’s comments during the two leaders’ call last Friday reflect the growing U.S. concern about the continuation of the war and the president’s desire to see it end long before the November elections.
A Biden adviser told Axios the White House is very concerned about losing young voters, many of whom are opposed to the president’s policy on the Gaza war.
A source close to the White House said Biden can’t have the war and the growing death toll to continue dominating the news cycle as the elections get closer.
The White House and the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office declined to comment.
At least a third of Biden’s 40-minute call with Netanyahu on Jan. 19 focused on the Israeli timetable for moving to low-intensity operations across the Gaza Strip and Israel’s war strategy as a whole, one U.S. official said.
Netanyahu a day earlier had said the war would continue for “many more months.” Speaking to the Israeli leader about that comment, Biden urged Netanyahu to move faster to low-intensity operations that would decrease the number of civilian casualties, two U.S. officials said.
Biden asked Netanyahu several times for his plan and strategy in Gaza and said he doesn’t understand the “end state” the Israeli leader is envisioning for the enclave, the U.S. officials said.
Netanyahu told Biden that the transition to low-intensity fighting took place in northern Gaza and will happen in the south, but Israel needs more time than it originally thought, the officials added.
Netanyahu also said that Hamas would return if the Israel Defense Forces left Gaza now.
I know Israel depends on munitions and aid from the US and we should absolutely supply it. But you can be sure that Biden is using that as leverage to bend Netanyahu to his will and I hope Netanyahu doesn’t cave. I know Israel is trying to produce everything they need to win this war and I hope they can do that.