Middle East Crisis> Biden Suggests Netanyahu Is Prolonging War to Stay in Power
U.S. President Joe Biden has suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is prolonging the conflict with Hamas in Gaza to stay in power.
Biden made the remarks during a press conference on Thursday, saying that he had spoken to Netanyahu and told him that the violence had to stop.
“I’ve spoken with him, and I’ve expressed my concern that we have to get this to stop,” Biden said. “I’ve also expressed my concern that there’s a significant increase in the number of rockets being fired into Israel, and I’ve expressed my concern that there are civilian casualties in Gaza.”
Biden added that he had told Netanyahu that he needed to “make sure that we’re dealing with the humanitarian needs in Gaza” and that he needed to “make sure that we’re working to get a ceasefire.”
When asked if he believed that Netanyahu was prolonging the conflict to stay in power, Biden replied, “I think it’s fair to say that everyone in the region is under pressure to show that they’re strong.”
“But I think it’s also important to recognize that there’s a significant humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and we have to address that,” Biden continued. “And I think it’s important for everyone to understand that we have to get to a point where we’re not just talking about a ceasefire, but we’re talking about a sustainable peace.”
Netanyahu has faced criticism from both within Israel and abroad for his handling of the conflict with Hamas. Critics say that he has been too slow to de-escalate the situation and that he has not done enough to protect civilians in Gaza.
Netanyahu has defended his actions, saying that Israel has a right to defend itself against rocket attacks from Hamas. He has also accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields and of storing weapons in civilian areas.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in the deaths of at least 230 Palestinians, including 65 children, and 12 Israelis, including two children. Thousands of people have been displaced from their homes in Gaza, and there has been widespread destruction of infrastructure.