US president’s remarks to Time magazine about PM’s role in conflict draw heavily critical response from Israeli government

Joe Biden has said that there is “every reason” to draw the conclusion that Benjamin Netanyahu is prolonging the war in Gaza for his own political self-preservation.

Biden made the remarks about the Israeli prime minister in an interview with Time magazine published on Tuesday morning, drawing a sharp response from the Israeli government, which accused the US president of straying from diplomatic norms.

Netanyahu’s popularity plummeted after the 7 October attack by Hamas, which exposed serious flaws in Israeli security. Most political observers say Netanyahu would lose elections if they were held now, and would be forced into opposition, facing court hearings on corruption charges. But elections have been put off until the war is over, or at least until major military operations are deemed to have been completed.

Time asked Biden whether he believed Netanyahu was “prolonging the war for his own political self-preservation”.

“I’m not going to comment on that,” the president said in response, but added: “There is every reason for people to draw that conclusion.”

  • StaySquared@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    This is supposed to be the 2nd and final Nakba, annexing the entire Palestinian territory. With the goal of expanding Israel into Greater Israel. This goal will never end until the elimination and illegalization of Zionism. It doesn’t matter what the U.S. politicians say. BDS is the only first step.

    • tron@midwest.social
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      5 months ago

      Elimination and illegalization of Zionism? I’m not a Zionist by any stretch, but this is terrible thinking. You’re gonna kill and arrest people for ideas in their head? My god, no thanks.

  • kvasir476@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    So we’re going to stop supplying Israel with weapons, money, and international cover, right? RIGHT?

    • Mrkawfee@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      No, Congress is going after the ICC for daring to investigate Israeli leaders for War Crimes

      • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        Biden: “We don’t have the authority to stop Israel, our hands are tied.”

        Also Biden: “We’re going to invade the Hague if you so much as think about sanctioning this perfectly legal and justified military action.”

  • SuddenDownpour@sh.itjust.works
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    5 months ago

    This is why I cheered when Biden pushed for a truce the past week, even though I’ve been really critical of Biden and that move didn’t guarantee peace: because it locked the US administration into a dichotomy where they would either have to keep pushing to stop the war, or they’d look like tremendous hypocrites when Israel rejected the deal and the US continued supporting them. It’s going to be quite difficult for Biden to do anything other than opposing Netanyahu until he agrees to attend the peace talks, or is ousted.

    • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Oh this is like the third time he’s tried to take a premature victory lap on a peace deal. They just don’t care about looking like hypocrites. Even when Hamas is the one saying yes and Israel refuses they just blame Hamas and go on to the next news cycle like nothing happened.

  • pjwestin@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    Later on Tuesday, Biden appeared to tone down his criticism of Netanyahu. Asked whether Netanyahu was “playing politics with the war”, Biden said: “I don’t think so. He’s trying to work out a serious problem he has.”

    Every time he starts to give something halfway close to a good response to something insane happening in Gaza, he walks it back within days.

    • katy ✨@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      5 months ago

      almost as if he’s a world leader and doesn’t want to get into an international crisis with a nuclear power who is bombing palestine. who’d have thought that he was actually smarter at geopolitics than some random person on social media.

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    Full quote:

    Time asked Biden whether he believed Netanyahu was “prolonging the war for his own political self-preservation”.

    “I’m not going to comment on that,” the president said in response, but added: “There is every reason for people to draw that conclusion.”

    But he still won’t even fucking say it…

    And people are already trying to frame this as him being “tough” on Israel.

    No matter what happens, no matter what atrocities they commit, Biden will always be loyal to Israel over all else.

    Which should be immediately disqualifying for president of America, for reasons that should be obvious by now.

    • WamGams@lemmy.ca
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      5 months ago

      Biden essentially just told the world the US has no faith in Netanyahu leadership, which is essentially telling the Likkud to disband and form a new coalition government.

      I get that you guys are demanding he use a word that the ICC has refused to use, but he is laying the groundwork yo accomplish an end to this but it doesn’t fit your narrative.

      • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        Biden essentially just told the world the US has no faith in Netanyahu leadership

        I suggest you read the actual interview, although it’s hard to understand what Biden says before the media trims it into sound bites.

        Interviewer: Not at all. Some in Israel have suggested that Netanyahu is prolonging the war for his own political self-preservation. Do you believe that?

        Biden: I’m not going to comment on that. There is every reason for people to draw that conclusion. And I would cite tha as—before the war began, the blowback he was getting from the Israeli military for wanting to change the constitu—change the court. And so it’s an internal domestic debate that seems to have no consequence. And whether he would change his position or not, it’s hard to say, but it has not been helpful.

        https://time.com/6984968/joe-biden-transcript-2024-interview/

        He also blames Hamas that there’s no ceasefire:

        And whose fault is it that the that deal, the ceasefire for hostages has not been consummated? Is it Hamas or Israel or both?

        Biden: Hamas. Hamas could end this tomorrow. Hamas could say (unintelligible) and done period. And, but, and the last offer Israel made was very generous in terms of who they’d be willing to release, what they’d give in return, et cetera. Bibi is under enormous pressure on the hostages, on the hostages, and so he’s prepared to do about anything to get the hostages back.

        And denying their genocide:

        More broadly, from the intelligence in the evidence you’ve seen, either currently or in the last months, have Israeli forces committed war crimes in Gaza?

        Biden: The answer is it’s uncertain and has been investigated by the Israelis themselves. The ICC is something that we don’t, we don’t recognize. But one thing is certain, the people in Gaza, the Palestinians have suffered greatly, for lack of food, water, medicine, etc. And a lot of innocent people have been killed. But it is—and a lot of it has to do not just with Israelis, but what Hamas is doing in Israel as we speak. Hamas is intimidating that population. I went over right after that attack on the Israelis. What they did was—exceeded anything I’ve ever seen. And I’ve seen a lot. Tying mothers and daughters together with rope and pouring kerosene on it and burning them to death. That kind of thing, attempting to intimidate. And it is dastardly.

        Important note: Biden just keep repeating things that he claimed ms Hamas did, but there’s no evidence besides Israel saying “trust me bro” yet he constantly excuses Israel’s human rights abuses.

        Don’t just read the small sound bites and fill in the gaps with what you hope it meant.

        That’s what trumpets do.

        • WamGams@lemmy.ca
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          5 months ago

          What is taken out of context when he says that people have every reason to believe Netanyahu is prolonging the war, and then goes on yo say Netanyahu is unhelpful and that he no longer cares whether Netanyahu can change his mind?

          He is clearly telling the Likkud to call an election.

          Or are you taking offense at the idea that Hamas is responsible for this war? They are.

          • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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            5 months ago

            What is taken out of context when he says that people have every reason to believe Netanyahu is prolonging the war, and then goes on yo say Netanyahu is unhelpful and that he no longer cares whether Netanyahu can change his mind?

            The full context is the link, but your summary of even just the quoted parts is way off…

            And I’m not sure where any of the rest of what you’re saying is coming from either.

            I don’t think you trying to clarify is going to help though.

    • shalafi@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      But he still won’t even fucking say it…

      He just did. In diplomatic terms, he screamed it to the heavens.

      International messaging isn’t played at the level of you and I shooting the shit between ourselves. Netanyahu likely shit himself in rage and fear over this.

      • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        Bruh, there have been other presidents…

        And they all said much worse, much earlier when Israel pulled their shit.

        Stop pretending this means anythingnwhilenBiden is still lying and saying there’s no genocide while.providing munitions.

        For fucks sake, it’s worse if Biden actually knows what’s going on and this is all he’s doing.

        • kamenLady.@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          It surely means something, when this was said by the American President and it definitely means more than what other countries said.

          America is THE Ally for Israel.

          Just like Germany, America can’t just drop Support for Israel. It’s the first time, one of the 2 “never turn by back to Israel” supporters made such a remark.

          Other countries saying something is like other kids in school talking about you.

          USA or Germany saying something is like Mom or Dad coming into your room and saying it to your face.

          • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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            5 months ago

            I’m sorry that wasn’t clear

            I meant other presidents of America.

            Who were all able to pull Israel back.

            When Obama did it, Biden publicly called him out

            Biden recounted in private that when he was vice president in 2014 and Israel mounted a military assault on Gaza, Obama and his staff rejected his belief, held for decades, that the best way to approach the Israelis is to hug them close but not criticize them, the people familiar with his comments said.

            Instead, they said Biden has noted, Obama publicly admonished Israel’s actions and voiced concern for Palestinian civilian deaths early into the 2014 conflict. As a result, Biden has argued, Obama squandered any ability to influence the Israeli government as it invaded Gaza, said the people familiar with his comments.

            They said Biden’s message when he revisited the 2014 debate was: I was right then, and I am right now.

            https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/biden-obama-divide-closely-support-israel-rcna127107

            The reason it’s gone this far, is Israel knows Biden will never stop supporting them. They can do whatever they want.

            • kamenLady.@lemmy.world
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              5 months ago

              Consider my comment moot to your point.

              I see what you meant now and these are all facts that i agree overall.

              There are also European elections coming up. Together with the presidential election, the results will influence the 2 wars we have going on.

              But I’m afraid, the only choices are:

              • Everything continues like it is now

              • Everything will get much worse

              & I feel like we are straying far away from:

              • Make things better, for everyone
              • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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                5 months ago

                Yep.

                And the worst part about is “make things better, for everyone” not being picked, is that would make it a lot easier to avoid “everything will get much worse”.

                Say what you want about Bill and Obama’s actions while in office, but they were charismatic as hell and ran progressive campaigns. Campaigns that easily got them into and kept them in the White House.

                Yet for some reason when Trump showed up, we have to start running candidates like Hillary and Biden?

                There’s no rational reason behind it, if the only thing that matters is beating trump, we should give the voters what they want.

                We need to run candidates who are similar to Bill and Obama, not people that just used to stand next to them a lot like their wife or VP. Charisma doesn’t just rub off on people like that.