US President Joe Biden (right) shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, July 25, 2024. Photo credit: AP
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House on Thursday to discuss the war in Gaza – and the possibility of a ceasefire deal – with US President Joe Biden and presumptive Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.
Mr Netanyahu’s first visit to the White House since 2020 comes at a time when pressure is mounting on Israel and the US to end the nine-month-long war that has killed more than 39,000 people in Gaza and nearly 1,200 in Israel. Dozens of Israeli hostages are still in Hamas captivity.
‘The gap can be bridged’
According to White House national security spokesman John Kirby, Mr Biden called on Israel and Hamas in an Oval Office meeting to quickly agree on a ceasefire deal that would allow the remaining hostages to be returned. White House officials say the talks are in the final stages, but there are some issues that need to be resolved.
“The gap can be bridged,” Mr. Kirby said, adding, “but it will require, as always, some leadership and some compromise.”
Ms Harris is scheduled to meet Mr Netanyahu separately on Thursday. She is also expected to push for a deal to release hostages kidnapped during Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October.
Mr Netanyahu, who last visited the White House during former President Donald Trump’s tenure, is travelling to Florida on Friday to meet the Republican presidential candidate.
40 years old relationship
Netanyahu, leader of the conservative Likud party, and Biden, a centrist Democrat, have had a tumultuous relationship over the years. In what is likely to be his final meeting with Biden at the White House, Mr Netanyahu spoke about the nearly 40 years they have known each other and thanked the president for his services.
“From a proud Jewish Zionist to a proud Irish American Zionist, I want to thank you for 50 years of public service and 50 years of support for the State of Israel,” Mr. Netanyahu told Mr. Biden at the start of the meeting.
The US-backed proposal to release the remaining hostages in Gaza in three phases would be a legacy-affirming achievement for Mr Biden, who abandoned his re-election campaign and endorsed Ms Harris. It could also be a boon for Ms Harris in her bid to succeed him.
After their talks, Mr. Biden and Mr. Netanyahu met with the families of the American hostages.
Important to Harris
For Ms. Harris, the meeting with Mr. Netanyahu is an opportunity to demonstrate that she has the ability to serve as commander in chief. She is under scrutiny by the political left, which says Mr. Biden has not done enough to force Mr. Netanyahu to end the war and Republicans want to brand her as inadequate in her support for Israel.
A senior administration official who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity under rules set by the White House said there was “no disagreement between the president and the vice president” on Israel. Ms Harris’s last face-to-face meeting with Mr Netanyahu was in March 2021, but she has participated in more than 20 calls between Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu.
Mr. Netanyahu is trying to deal with a delicate political moment. He faces pressure from the families of hostages who are demanding a ceasefire deal to bring their loved ones back home and from far-right members of his governing coalition, who are demanding that he oppose any agreement that could prevent the Israeli military from eliminating Hamas.
Mr. Netanyahu said, Fiery address before a joint session of Congress On Wednesday, Trump strongly defended Israel’s conduct during the war and strongly condemned allegations by the International Criminal Court of Israeli war crimes. He argued that in its fight against Iran-backed Hamas, Israel was effectively “keeping American troops off the ground while protecting our shared interests in the Middle East.”
“Remember: our enemies are your enemies,” Netanyahu said. “Our fight, it is your fight. And our victory will be your victory.”